NASA Next-Generation Solar Sail Boom Technology Ready for Launch
Sailing through space might sound like something out of science fiction, but the concept is no longer limited to books or the big screen.
The technology could advance future space travel and expand our understanding of our Sun and solar system.
Solar sails use the pressure of sunlight for propulsion, angling toward or away from the Sun so that photons bounce off the reflective sail to push a spacecraft.
This eliminates heavy propulsion systems and could enable longer duration and lower-cost missions.
The mission’s primary objective is to successfully demonstrate new boom deployment, but once deployed, the team also hopes to prove the sail’s performance.
Booms have tended to be either heavy and metallic or made of lightweight composite with a bulky design – neither of which work well for today’s small spacecraft
Spacecraft-mounted cameras will capture the sail’s big moment, monitoring its shape and symmetry during deployment.
With its large sail, the spacecraft may be visible from Earth if the lighting conditions are just right.
Once fully expanded and at the proper orientation, the sail’s reflective material will be as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky.
Solar storms and coronal mass ejections can cause considerable damage on Earth, overloading power grids, disrupting radio communications, and affecting aircraft and spacecraft.