If you mistated and mean some sort of Ion engine, then about 2 days, due to its roughly .1 grams of thrust.
And we can make a solar powered jet with household items today, and it will take about .2 seconds to break the sound barrier.
How?
Take a Water Heater, cap all the outlets, and let the solar panels power the water heaters within. When the interior of the water tank is about 1800 degrees... get out your sledgehammer, and hammer off the cap at the bottom of the water heater.. POOF! up goes the water heater- supersonic speeds.
Oh, and you'll be scalded by all the superheated steam escaping, but at least you can make one
And we can make a solar powered jet with household items today, and it will take about .2 seconds to break the sound barrier.
How?
Take a Water Heater, cap all the outlets, and let the solar panels power the water heaters within. When the interior of the water tank is about 1800 degrees... get out your sledgehammer, and hammer off the cap at the bottom of the water heater.. POOF! up goes the water heater- supersonic speeds.
Oh, and you'll be scalded by all the superheated steam escaping, but at least you can make one
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It probably never will.
The amount of energy obtainable from a solar panel is limited by the energy emitted by the sun. It can't just increase with better solar panel technology.
Air resistance / weight will stop the size of these solar panels, and therefore not allow solar sound-speed travel.
The amount of energy obtainable from a solar panel is limited by the energy emitted by the sun. It can't just increase with better solar panel technology.
Air resistance / weight will stop the size of these solar panels, and therefore not allow solar sound-speed travel.
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A very long time. Solar power isn't the fastest way to travel. If the jet had an energy reservoir that would last through the sonic boom, then maybe it could reach it.
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If it were a jet, it wouldn't be solar powered in the first place.