NASA is currently conducting tests on a sail system that utilizes solar energy to propel spacecraft through space. The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3), which is the world’s most advanced solar sail spacecraft, was launched on April 24 at 6:32 a.m. using Rocket Lab’s Electron booster from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The ACS3 is part of NASA’s Beginning Of The Swarm mission and, despite its small size, it can deploy its thin plastic sail in about 25 minutes to cover 80 square meters with a 7-meter stretchable pole.
Currently positioned in a sun-synchronous orbit 966 meters above Earth, the ACS3 will demonstrate technology that could power deep space missions without the need for rocket fuel. By utilizing the pressure from solar energy, the thin sail can propel the spacecraft at high speeds, similar to a sailboat. The ACS3 project is specifically testing a design made of flexible polymer composite materials reinforced with carbon fiber.
Once deployed, the tensioning poles of the solar sail act like sailboat masts, keeping the sails taut to collect solar energy. The tension poles are designed to fold compactly for stowage and are built to withstand temperature fluctuations and endure extended missions. NASA is also planning to design a larger solar sail equivalent to the size of a basketball court, which would require an extensive extension pole system.
To address this challenge, NASA has rolled out a new composite material stretch pole into a large envelope-sized package that will be opened using a pulling system similar to a tape roll. This will minimize the risk of getting stuck while minimizing damage to equipment during deployment. After setting up the tensioning pole, onboard cameras will record the process to evaluate
