A statite is a hypothetical type of artificial satellite that employs a solar sail to continuously modify its orbit in ways that gravity alone would not allow. Typically, a statite would use the solar sail to "hover" in a location that would not otherwise be available as a stable geosynchronous orbit. Statites have been proposed that would remain in fixed locations high over Earth's poles, using reflected sunlight to counteract the gravity pulling them down. Statites might also employ their sails to change the shape or velocity of more conventional orbits, depending upon the purpose of the particular statite. A satellite is an object that orbits another object (known as its primary). ... Concept image of a solar sail spacecraft in the process of unfurling sails. ... In physics, an orbit is the path that an object makes, around another object, whilst under the influence of a source of centripetal force, such as gravity. ... Gravitation is the tendency of masses to move toward each other. ... A geosynchronous orbit is a geocentric orbit that has the same orbital period as the sidereal rotation period of the Earth. ... Earth, also known as the Earth or Terra, is the third planet outward from the Sun. ... A Sun is the star at the center of a solar system. ...
The concept of the statite was invented by Robert L. Forward. No statites have been deployed to date, as solar sail technology is still in its infancy. See Forward's U.S. Patent 5,183,225, "Statite: Spacecraft That Utilizes Light Pressure and Method of Use," filed 9 January1989 and issued 2 February1993 (external link below). Robert Lull Forward commonly known as Robert L. Forward (August 15, 1932 - September 21, 2002) was a United States physicist and science fiction writer. ... January 9 is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003) Events Media:January January 1 - Czechoslovakia divides. ...
See also sunshade and solar mirror. Variations on an umbrella have been used for thousands of years to shade people from the Sun. ... This article needs cleanup. ...
A statite is a hypothetical type of artificial satellite that employs a solar sail to continuously modify its orbit in ways that gravity alone would not allow.
Typically, a statite would use the solar sail to "hover" in a location that would not otherwise be available as a stable geosynchronous orbit; statites have been proposed that would remain in fixed locations high over Earth's poles, using reflected sunlight to counteract the gravity pulling them down.
Statites might also employ their sails to change the shape or velocity of more conventional orbits, depending upon the purpose of the particular statite.
Since the Statite is stationary with respect to the Earth, the gravitational attraction of the mass of the Earth for the mass of the Statite is not cancelled out by orbital motion, instead it is cancelled by the light pressure force.
Instead of the Statite being balanced by sunlight in the gravitational field of the Earth, the Statite would be placed in orbit around the Sun, at such a distance from the earth that the gravitational field of the Earth plus the moon is only a perturbation on the gravitational field of the Sun.
In this mode of operation, although the Statite is moving relative to the Earth, it is not in orbit around the Earth, and, therefore, is not a satellite of the Earth.
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