# Could a solar sail composed of smart glass stay near the L1 point of Venus?

From answers to this question i've learned that the Lagrangian L$$_1$$ point of Venus is not stable, despite the almost circular orbit of the planet and the fact that it has no moon.

Nevertheless would it be possible that a flat structure, composed of panels made of Smart glass, perpendicular placed on the Sun-Venus axis right behind the L$$_1$$ point, seen from Venus, could stay there ?

A voltage applied to an electrochromic device would change the opacity of the glass material and thus would change the radiation pressure exerted by the sunlight.
And a voltage applied to micro-blinds would block light by stretching out very small, thin metal blinds on glass.

Because of its place right behind the L$$_1$$ point this "solar sail" would have a slight pull from the gravity of the Sun and the radiation pressure could be changed sufficiently to counteract upon it.

The square structure would be surrounded at the edges by 45$$⁰$$ tilted panels to regulate that the structure would not deviate from the Sun-Venus axis.

Would visual location of Venus be sensitive enough to allow the smart window structure to act upon variation in distance and position to the planet in an adequate way ?

• This is a really interesting question! Station keeping in a halo orbit around L1 using purely radial delta-v is definitely a thing. I know that SOHO uses this, and there may be others. – uhoh Nov 3 '19 at 23:39
• Since fully reflective solar sails able to twist their shape can already control their attitude on 3 axis (and therefore are able to keep station), using smart glass instead of a very thin layer of material becomes a heavy solution. – qq jkztd Nov 4 '19 at 17:27