Media Invited to Learn About NASA’s New Solar Sail Technology 

Media are invited to find out about NASA’s next-generation photo voltaic sail know-how – referred to as the Superior Composite Photo voltaic Sail System – that might allow formidable lower-cost missions to increase our understanding of the Solar and photo voltaic system. 

The occasion will happen from 10-11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at NASA’s Langley Analysis Middle in Hampton, Virginia. Challenge researchers can be accessible to debate the photo voltaic sail know-how, which makes use of the strain of daylight to journey by means of area very similar to a sailboat makes use of wind to traverse the ocean. A full-scale engineering design unit of the polymer sail and its novel light-weight composite booms can even be on show on the occasion. 

The Superior Composite Photo voltaic Sail System is scheduled to launch throughout a 30-day window that opens no sooner than Wednesday, April 24 aboard a Rocket Lab Electron launch automobile from the corporate’s Launch Advanced 1 in New Zealand. The system is part of a “12U” sized CubeSat and can deploy after on-orbit methods checks, that are anticipated to take roughly two months.    

Media desirous about attending should contact Joe Atkinson at [email protected] no later than midday, Monday, April 15.     

NASA Langley designed and constructed the deployable composite booms and photo voltaic sail system. NASA’s Ames Analysis Middle in California’s Silicon Valley, manages the Superior Composite Photo voltaic Sail System undertaking and designed and constructed the on-board digital camera diagnostic system. NASA’s Small Spacecraft Know-how (SST) program workplace primarily based at NASA Ames and inside the company’s Area Know-how Mission Directorate (STMD), funds and manages the mission. NASA’s Sport Altering Improvement program inside STMD developed the deployable composite growth know-how. Rocket Lab USA, Inc of Lengthy Seaside, California is offering launch providers.    

Be taught extra about ACS3 at: https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-next-generation-solar-sail-boom-technology-ready-for-launch/

Joe Atkinson  

Langley Analysis Middle, Hampton, Virginia  

757-755-5375  

[email protected]