Solar Sail Block for STEM Activity

A simple block designed for a STEM activity in which students construct solar sails.  It includes several structural hardpoints for mounting sail brackets and supports.  We used a shop vacuum to propel these solar sails approximately 10 meters across the room.

I pass braided fishing line through the eyelet and suspend the solar sails high enough so that no one runs into the line.  Then I loop them around some clips on the black board and pull it tight.  Students use the shop vacuum to simulate the solar wind and propel their solar sails forward.

This is an optimization problem in which students have to balance the structural integrity and weight of their space craft while also making it large enough to catch the wind.

A video showcasing the activity can be found below.