# How would Solar Flares affect Solar Sail navigation?

As I understand, Solar Sail runs on dual energy: light pressure and solar wind. While the former is quite deterministic and rigidly following calculations, solar flares create huge bursts of solar wind - at unpredictable points in time, of unpredictable intensity.

How would they affect solar sail propulsion?

• solar sail needs to be huge and light - that means quite fragile. Would it be possible they could damage (tear) it?
• even if it withstands them physically, wouldn't they throw the craft off painstakingly calculated trajectory?
• anything else I missed?

(and generally, what is the proportion between "propulsive power" between the two accelerating factors of solar sail?)

This response addresses the last part of the question: "what is the proportion between "propulsive power" between the two accelerating factors of solar sail?"

• Solar Wind is between 1-6x10-9 N/m2

"The wind exerts a pressure at 1 AU typically in the range of 1–6 nPa (1–6×10−9 N/m2), although it can readily vary outside that range."

• Even in the case of the strongest observed CMEs (i.e., $n_{o} \sim 100 \ cm^{-3}$ and $V \sim 2000 \ km/s$), the dynamic pressure is still ~$0.7 \mu Pa$, so I think @Puffin is correct. – honeste_vivere Jan 13 '16 at 14:22