NASA continues to assess Solar Sail system progress following deployment

NASA continues to assess Solar Sail system progress following deployment

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 23, 2024

NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System is advancing through post-deployment testing, with mission operators carefully reviewing data to evaluate the performance of the spacecraft’s composite booms. Following the successful deployment of both the booms and solar sail, the spacecraft continues to experience slow tumbling in orbit due to the deactivation of its attitude control system.

Prior to the deployment phase, the team deactivated the attitude control system to accommodate changes in the spacecraft’s dynamics during the unfurling of the solar sail. This system is vital for maintaining a spacecraft’s orientation in space, ensuring proper alignment for communications and solar energy collection.

While the solar sail has fully deployed into its square shape-approximately half the size of a tennis court-the team is analyzing a slight bend detected in one of the four composite booms. The bend likely occurred as the booms were stretched during deployment. However, preliminary analysis suggests the bend has partially straightened over time as the spacecraft slowly tumbles in orbit.

The primary goal of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System mission is to validate the deployment of the composite booms, contributing crucial data for future applications of this technology in solar sails and other space structures. The data gathered so far has already been extremely useful and will continue to inform the advancement of solar sail missions.

The mission team expects that the slight bend will not interfere with the solar sail’s planned maneuvers, which are slated for the later stages of the technology demonstration.

Currently, efforts are focused on repositioning the spacecraft, which remains in low-power mode to conserve energy. The team is working to optimize the orientation of the solar panels to receive more sunlight and prioritize essential operations, such as two-way communication with mission control. Once the attitude control system is reactivated, operators will be able to precisely position the spacecraft’s high-bandwidth antenna for improved communication, collect additional data, and prepare for the mission’s upcoming sailing maneuvers.