One propulsion method that is currently being studied for interstellar travel uses a large sail. The intent is that sunlight striking the sail creates a force that pushes the ship away from the sun, much as wind propels a sailboat. Does such a design have any hope of working and, if so, should the surface facing the sun be shiny like a mirror or black, in order to produce the greatest force

Yes, the design has a hope of working.

A dull face should yield more force.

Explanation:

According to the de broglie theory, and the wave-particle duality, waves can be assumed and made to behave as a matter and vice versa. Under these circumstances, the impinging wave can act as a particle (photon) colliding with a relatively stationary body, yielding some of its momentum to the relatively stationary body. With this, the momentum of the photons can be used to propel the ship by its solar sail.

Making the face dull should yield more force in the sense that the incident photon is not reflected and all of its momentum is yielded to the sail compared to when it is reflected (bouncing off) off the sail. This will be a case of inelestic collision between the sail and the photon.

3.2x10^7

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