NASA is testing a solar sail system that uses solar energy to propel spacecraft through space. The world’s most advanced solar sail spacecraft began its journey on April 24, taking off on Rocket Lab’s Electron booster from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand as part of the Beginning Of The Swarm mission. The NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) is an important advancement in deep space exploration technology.
The ACS3 solar sail is made of flexible polymer composite materials, reinforced with carbon fiber, and has a special configuration for stowage to make the system lighter and more stable. It collects solar energy pressure to propel the spacecraft at high speeds, similar to a sailboat. The tension poles of the solar sail act like sailboat masts, keeping the sails taut to collect solar energy. They fold compactly to overcome the challenge of fitting a large-scale sail into a rocket’s cargo compartment. Engineers use a pulling system to open the pole and hold the sail while onboard cameras record the process.
After the initial flight and subsystem testing period, ACS3 will spend multiple weeks testing its ability to raise and lower its orbit. If successful, NASA plans to scale up the design for interstellar travel. This project aims to evaluate a new solar sail design and measure its thrust in low orbit, as well as test the toughness of the composite tension pole. Overall, this innovative technology represents an exciting leap forward in our quest to explore beyond our own planet and reach out towards our cosmic neighbors in deep space missions without using rocket fuel.