Electric sail

An electric sail is a spacecraft propulsion method that uses a large, lightweight, and electrically charged structure—called an "electric sail" or "E-sail"—to harness the momentum of solar wind particles (mainly protons from the Sun). When the sail's wires are charged with electricity, they repel these particles, transferring their momentum to the spacecraft and gradually accelerating it without traditional fuel. This provides continuous, efficient propulsion, allowing deep-space travel with less mass and cost, making long-distance missions more feasible.