NASA's next-gen solar sail system to transform space exploration set for April 24 launch

Engineers at NASA’s Langley Research Center test deployment of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System’s solar sail. (Image credit: NASA)

NASA’s next-generation solar sail technology, known as the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3), is set to embark on its journey on April 24. Scheduled to launch within a 30-day window aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from the American space agency's Launch Complex 1 on Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, the ACS3 mission promises to revolutionise space exploration.

Solar sail technology utilises the pressure of sunlight for propulsion, similar to how a sailboat is powered by wind, eliminating the need for traditional rocket propellant, and offering potential for longer duration and lower-cost missions.

The goal of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System is to facilitate ambitious missions that enhance our understanding of the Sun and the solar system.

Upon reaching its Sun-synchronous orbit approximately 600 miles above Earth, the ACS3 spacecraft will commence the intricate process of unfurling its composite booms. Within approximately 25 minutes, the solar sail will be fully deployed, measuring about 860 square feet.

The ACS3 project focuses on using new materials in lightweight structures called booms, which come out from a small satellite called a CubeSat. This new technology involves testing a special type of boom made from flexible plastic and carbon fiber. These new materials are stronger and lighter than what we've used before, which means the solar sails will work better and the spacecraft will weigh less.

The primary objective of the ACS3 mission is to successfully demonstrate the deployment of these composite booms and assess the performance of the solar sail. Once deployed, the spacecraft will execute a series of maneuvers to change its orbit, collecting important data for potential future missions featuring even larger sails.

Beyond its immediate objectives, the successful deployment and operation of the solar sail's lightweight composite booms will pave the way for larger-scale missions to destinations such as the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Solar sails offer constant thrust, enabling missions requiring unique vantage points for studying the Sun and its impact on Earth.

Moreover, composite booms have the potential for various uses beyond solar sailing. Their lightweight and compact qualities make them suitable for building habitats on the Moon and Mars, facilitating in establishing human settlements in space. Additionally, they can serve as frameworks or compact antenna poles for communication networks.

As the ACS3 mission progresses, data obtained will guide the design of future larger-scale composite solar sail systems. These systems could be employed in tasks such as monitoring space weather, conducting reconnaissance missions on near-Earth asteroids, and establishing communication relays for crewed exploration missions.