P1_3 Outrun the Sun

Abstract

In this paper, we calculate the time taken in order for the Earth’s kinetic energy to reach that ofthe gravitational potential energy between the Earth and the Sun, and so ’escape’ the system, ifthe Earth was using lights placed equally on its surface and use radiation pressure for propulsion.The lights will provide an energy flux in the direction of the Sun of the same magnitude of that ofthe current average solar flux. The time required was found to be 0.17s.