Since it's supposed to cost less than a couple million bucks to put one of these sail systems on a craft (and it's pretty small to boot) I figure you could use multiple propulsion(sp?) methods. Use the efficient super-speed sail to run the long leg outward and then switch on a rocket or something for local commuting. coreman's right, you won't be able to tack--that requires both air and especially WATER to provide side-ways resistance to the hull of the boat. Ain't happening in space. There's exactly one acceleration direction for a solar wind sail--STRAIGHT out from the sun. But if you've got some thrusters, you could at least steer as you go faster and Faster and FASTER outward. Turning around a car going 200 mph is pretty hard. I don't think many humans are gonna be riding an inter-planetary sail craft with no brakes.
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Since it's supposed to cost less than a couple million bucks to put one of these sail systems on a craft (and it's pretty small to boot) I figure you could use multiple propulsion(sp?) methods. Use the efficient super-speed sail to run the long leg outward and then switch on a rocket or something for local commuting. coreman's right, you won't be able to tack--that requires both air and especially WATER to provide side-ways resistance to the hull of the boat. Ain't happening in space. There's exactly one acceleration direction for a solar wind sail--STRAIGHT out from the sun. But if you've got some thrusters, you could at least steer as you go faster and Faster and FASTER outward. Turning around a car going 200 mph is pretty hard. I don't think many humans are gonna be riding an inter-planetary sail craft with no brakes.