solar sail
noun
Aerospace. a design concept for spacecraft propulsion consisting of a very thin, very large sheet of highly polished material that would be driven by the pressure of sunlight.
Nearby words
Origin of solar sail
First recorded in 1955–60
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British Dictionary definitions for solar sail
solar sail
noun
a device that reflects light particles from the Sun, gaining momentum in the opposite direction to propel spacecraft forwards
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Science definitions for solar sail
solar sail
A saillike device that is made of lightweight and highly reflective material and attached to a spacecraft to harness the radiation pressure of the solar wind and light for propulsion. Also called light sail
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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