NASA launches CubeSat equipped with solar sail to revolutionize space travel

NASA has launched a cubeSat into orbit powered by a new sail technology called the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System. This mission, launched from New Zealand aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket, has the potential to advance future space travel and enhance our understanding of the Sun and solar system. Solar sails use sunlight pressure for propulsion, directing photons off a reflective sail to push a spacecraft without the need for heavy propulsion systems, which could enable longer and more cost-effective missions. The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System mission aims to test a new composite boom made of flexible polymers and carbon fiber materials that are stiffer and lighter, addressing previous limitations in solar sail technology.

After reaching a Sun-synchronous orbit 1,000 kilometers above Earth, the spacecraft will deploy its composite arms that span the diagonals of the sail. The sail will unfold to about 80 square meters, roughly the size of six parking spaces, using cameras mounted on the spacecraft to capture the deployment process. Once fully expanded, the sail will be as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. By tilting the sail, the spacecraft can adjust its orbit and perform maneuvers to collect data for future missions with even larger sails.

The team behind the mission hopes to demonstrate the deployment and performance of the new sail technology, which features tube-shaped booms that can be flattened and rolled into a small package. These booms, made of composite materials, offer benefits like stability and reduced bending during temperature changes. The sail’s ability to adjust its orbit and capture sunlight for propulsion could revolutionize space travel and create new opportunities for exploration beyond our solar system.