solar sail

noun

: a propulsive device for a spacecraft that consists of a flat material (such as aluminized plastic) designed to receive thrust from solar radiation pressure

Examples of solar sail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That's why solar sails should enable us to go much farther out into space. Rhett Allain, WIRED, 27 Sep. 2024 Well, after figuring out things like how to unfold the mirrors, steering, computation, and making a solar sail to power the electronics. Dan Primack, Axios, 25 Sep. 2024 Photons, or particles of light, knock against the solar sail and bounce off, like they’re reflected from a mirror. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Sep. 2024 The solar sail mission launched on April 23 on board Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from New Zealand. Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 2 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for solar sail 

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of solar sail was in 1958

Dictionary Entries Near solar sail

Cite this Entry

“Solar sail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solar%20sail. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!