solar sail

noun

A sail-like structure on a spacecraft consisting of very large ultrathin mirrors, with propulsion being achieved by the radiation pressure of light from a star or laser.

Similar
light sailphoton sail
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Meanings

nounsolar sail (plural solar sails)

plural solar sails

  1. space flightA sail-like structure on a spacecraft consisting of very large ultrathin mirrors, with propulsion being achieved by the radiation pressure of light from a star or laser.

    Synonyms: light sail, photon sail

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA sail-like structure on a spacecraft consisting of very large ultrathin mirrors, with propulsion being achieved by the radiation pressure of light from a star or laser.

Similar
light sailphoton sail
Also see
light sailphoton sail

Translations

German Sonnensegel, Solarsegel
  • Sonnensegela sail-like structure on a spacecraft
  • Solarsegela sail-like structure on a spacecraft
Portuguese vela solar
  • vela solara sail-like structure on a spacecraft
Russian со́лнечный па́рус
  • со́лнечный па́рус (sólnečnyj párus)a sail-like structure on a spacecraft
Cite this entry
APA

solar sail. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/solar%20sail

MLA

“solar sail.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/solar%20sail. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “solar sail,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/solar%20sail.

Source: solar sail on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.