NASA has developed a next-generation solar sail, which is set to be launched into space this month aboard the Electron rocket.
NASA has announced the preparation for launching a platform with a next-generation solar sail into space. A small satellite will be launched this month from Launch Complex No. 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket. After placing the platform into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 1000 km, the sail will unfold, covering an area of 80 m2. Due to the reflection of sunlight from the sail, the object will shine as brightly as the star Sirius.
To test the new solar sail platform, NanoAvionics has manufactured a non-standard 12U CubeSat. The main goal of the test will be to verify the “sail rigging” system – specially designed composite masts for solar sails. These masts, when folded, are roughly the size of a standard tape measure but unfold into rigid struts seven meters long each.
Once in the designated orbit, the masts will begin to extend from their housings, pulling the sail segments behind them. Each strut consists of a tubular composite structure, providing rigidity. However, when wound onto a drum, they flatten and become compact. In the future, this design could enable the creation of sails with an area of up to 2 km2.
Unfurling the experimental sail will take 25 minutes and will be recorded on camera. The main objective of the launch is to test the new deployable system and gather data for creating even larger sails. Additionally, the possibility of maneuvering the CubeSat using sail orientation, similar to sail sports on Earth, will be tested.
In the future, according to NASA, satellites equipped with solar sails could be used in long-term missions throughout the Solar System, eliminating the need for heavy engines and large fuel reserves. This versatile technology could also find applications in the construction of space stations and bases on the Moon and Mars.
