NASA has developed a composite solar sail system to move spacecraft in space. The technology will be launched by Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket. New solar sail technology could revolutionize space travel.

Using the pressure of sunlight for propulsion, solar sails can move a spacecraft by tilting it toward or away from the Sun; photons bounce off the reflective sail to create the necessary thrust. This eliminates the need for heavy propulsion systems, allowing for longer and cheaper missions.

The advanced composite solar sail system demonstration uses a CubeSat satellite developed by NanoAvionics to test the new composite boom. This new boom is made of flexible polymer and carbon fibers that are stiffer and lighter than previous designs. The main goal of the mission is to demonstrate the successful deployment of the new explosion.

Once the solar sail is deployed, it can adjust its orbit by tilting the sail, similar to how a sailboat turns to catch the wind. The team also hopes to prove the sail’s effectiveness, testing a series of maneuvers to change the spacecraft’s orbit and collecting data for potential future missions with larger sails.

Once in a sun-synchronous orbit, the spacecraft will begin deploying composite beams spanning the diagonals of the polymer sail. After approximately 25 minutes, the solar sail will be fully deployed, covering an area of ​​860 square meters. Cameras installed on the spacecraft will be able to capture the moment of deployment and monitor its shape and symmetry.

NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology Program is creating new opportunities for space exploration. Successful deployment and operation of composite solar sail beams will prove their capabilities and open the door to larger missions to the Moon and Mars. This technology will eventually be able to support sails up to 500 square meters.