I think the science and career modes make it a proper game (missions, unlocking the tech tree, managing funds & reputation, finding all the eggs, etc).
The thrust is just photons, very weak. As you say, whatever mechanism is built to hold it in place for launch will be strong enough. It needs actuators for unfurling and sailing anyway... Making a system rugged enough to safely furl and unfurl several times might add a lot of weight though.
Assuming this sail can do everything a wind or solar sail can do, it could compensate for holes. Assuming the sail is sufficiently huge, a few dozen fist sized holes would be negligible.
If you lose 50% of the sail you lose half your thrust, but you'd also lose 50% of the mass of the sail, which would slightly compensate. There must be an equation for that.
Orbital rendezvous wouldn't be that much more difficult with a very slowly accelerating ship. Not colliding with the giant sail would the the tricky thing IMO.
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brb Monkhouse Stampede, Sun 11 Feb 2024, 0:33,
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