What are solar sails?

A solar sail is like a big, super-light mirror that catches sunlight to help spacecraft move through space.

Imagine you're on a skateboard, and someone shines a bright flashlight in front of you. The light pushes you forward, not by touching you, but by giving you a tiny push every time it hits your back. That’s kind of how solar sails work. Instead of a flashlight, they use the Sun's light.

The solar sail is made of a very thin material, like a sheet of paper. When sunlight hits it, it gives the sail, and the spacecraft attached to it, a gentle push. This push keeps going, even when there’s no one pushing anymore, just like how your skateboard keeps rolling after you stop pushing.

Unlike rockets that need fuel to go faster, solar sails don’t need any extra fuel once they’re in space. They keep getting pushed by sunlight for a long time, it’s like having a constant little friend giving you a push every day!