A team of researchers — led by Harvard physicist Ben C. Schafer — has developed and tested a tiny solar-powered flying device that levitates. The new development was published on August 13 in the journal Nature. It could offer a means of exploring a largely unexplored layer of the Earth’s atmosphere.
The device is designed to operate in the mesosphere — a region between 50 and 85 kilometers high, dubbed the ‘ignorosphere’, because it is too high for aircraft and balloons, but too low for satellites, hence largely unexplored. The device leverages photophoretics, as the propulsion is provided by light.
The device consists of two layers of asymmetrically perforated wafers, in the thin air of the mesosphere, sunlight passes through the top layer and heats the bottom layer. Gas molecules that strike this surface bounce off with extra momentum, creating an upward force that causes the device to levitate.
In a proof-of-concept test, the team successfully levitated a 1-centimeter-wide structure in a low-pressure chamber using light at about 55% the intensity of actual sunlight, demonstrating the design’s efficiency.
The team has also designed a saucer 6 centimeters in diameter, predicted to fly at an altitude of 75 kilometers while carrying a 10-milligram payload — enough for a small sensor or communication package. This capability could be used for high-altitude climate sensing and for the atmospheric exploration of a planet like Mars.
I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, “Why not get into writing tech articles?” It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a ‘bookworm’ of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.