NASA Successfully Deploys Its Advanced Composite Solar Sail System
In the coming weeks, NASA will test the spacecraft's ability to maneuver using only the pressure of sunlight on the sail. These tests will help determine the effectiveness of the solar sail for future missions.
NASA has successfully deployed its experimental solar sail, known as the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3), in orbit. This groundbreaking technology uses sunlight to propel spacecraft, offering a potentially revolutionary method for low-cost, long-term space missions.
The solar sail, which measures 80 square meters—about half the size of a tennis court—was launched in April 2024 but faced initial deployment challenges. However, NASA engineers overcame these issues, and the sail was fully extended on August 29, 2024. Positioned at an altitude twice that of the International Space Station, the sail may even be visible from Earth.
In the coming weeks, NASA will test the spacecraft's ability to maneuver using only the pressure of sunlight on the sail. These tests will help determine the effectiveness of the solar sail for future missions, including space weather monitoring and asteroid reconnaissance.