Solar Sails : An innovative science project

If you are interested in space travel, and it would be difficult not to be, you may be interested in learning about Solar Sails. These are made from flimsy material but are powered by sunlight. They have been tested and used on robotic space probes which travel out in to space on a space shuttle.

These robotic probes float gently out in space propelled by the solar energy which their sails harness and use as power. Wouldn’t it be great to harness the solar energy in a science project? Don’t think the project is beyond you. The basic principle is very simple to understand and to use.

Essentially you are converting the energy of the sun into another form. For instance if you make a solar cooker, you are converting solar energy into heat to cook food. Or if you are using solar energy to run a solar calculator, you are converting the solar energy into electrical energy which powers the working of the calculator.

The initial solar energy based devises were dependent on the presence of a shining sun to power them. Now with solar cells that can store the energy captures much like batteries these devices are easier to run. They are also much more reliable than the initial ones which would stop working the minute the sun went behind a cloud.  Get more science project ideas here. I’m sure you will find working with solar energy very interesting and entertaining.