A CUTTING-edge spacecraft propelled by sunlight will be coursing across the night sky this weekend, giving viewers on Earth a spectacular sight.
Nasa engineers are testing out Advanced Composite Solar Sail System technology as they search for ways to lower the cost of future space missions.
This includes cutting back on fuel. Similar to the way a sailboat is nudged along by the wind, the ACS3 sail relies on the pressure of the Sun’s light.
As light particles hit its surface, they transfer momentum and accelerate the spacecraft.
The thrust may be small, but it has proven efficient over extended periods of time.
Japanese space agency Jaxa was first to try it out with the deployment of a similar sail in 2010.
Now Nasa hopes to put the experimental technology to the test, with a lightweight and durable boom supporting the sail.
The boom deploys from a CubeSat, a box-shaped miniature satellite weighing around 1 kilogram.
The unfurled sail itself is about 9 meters, or 30 feet long, on one side. It must be large to compound solar pressure and effectively generate thrust.
ACS3 uses flexible composite materials and will be a fitting addition to missions like asteroid rendezvous that require low-thrust propulsion.
“Time to set sail!” Nasa proclaimed in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
“Our Solar Sail System is sailing around Earth, slowly tumbling as expected while the mission team characterizes its boom and sails.”
After launch, the spacecraft was released intentionally without attitude control and went careening through space.
Once Nasa scientists complete their analysis of the boom and sail deployment, they will re-engage altitude control to stabilize it.
The next step is examining flight handling and dynamics data to adjust the spacecraft’s orbit.
As ACS3 orbits the Earth at an altitude of between 500 and 600 kilometers, the glistening sail makes it easy to spot – no telescope or special binoculars necessary.
Nasa has even launched a feature on its app to help you know where to look.
The app is free to download on Apple and Android devices as well as Amazon Fire TV and Roku.
Under the new initiative, users can turn on notifications for alerts when the sail is visible from their location.
The agency is encouraging the public to share photos of the spacecraft online using the hashtag #SpotTheSail.
And the mission doesn’t stop there – Nasa is simply drumming up public interest for future pursuits.
The agency will continue to analyze incoming data in preparation for demonstrations and tests in the coming weeks.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has a rich and storied history that began in response to the Cold War-era competition between the United States and the Soviet Union.
1957: The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, sparking fear and competition in the United States.
1958: In response to Sputnik and to advance U.S. space capabilities, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958. NASA officially began operations on October 1, 1958, absorbing the earlier National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
1961: Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. Shortly afterward, President John F. Kennedy announced the ambitious goal of landing a man on the Moon by the end of the decade.
1962: John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth aboard Friendship 7.
1969: NASA achieved Kennedy’s goal when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the lunar surface.
1972: The last Apollo mission, Apollo 17, took place.
1973: Skylab, the first U.S. space station, was launched.
1981: The Space Shuttle program began with the launch of Columbia on mission STS-1. The Shuttle program would become a cornerstone of Nasa’s operations for the next three decades.
1986: The Challenger disaster occurred, resulting in the loss of seven astronauts and leading to a reevaluation of the Shuttle program.
1990: Nasa launched the Hubble Space Telescope, which has provided unprecedented views of the universe.
1998: The first modules of the International Space Station (ISS) were launched. The ISS is a collaborative project involving agencies in Canada, Japan, and Europe.
2003: The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred, leading to another period of introspection and reform within Nasa.
2004: President George W. Bush announced the Vision for Space Exploration, which aimed to return humans to the Moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars.
2011: The Space Shuttle program was retired, with Atlantis completing the final mission, STS-135.
2012: The Curiosity rover successfully landed on Mars, beginning a new era of Mars exploration.
2020: The Mars 2020 mission launched, carrying the Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter, which successfully landed in February 2021.
2017: NASA announced the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024, including the first woman and next man.
2021: The James Webb Space Telescope was successfully launched, promising to expand our understanding of the universe.
Nasa has increasingly partnered with commercial companies like SpaceX and Boeing for missions to the ISS and beyond.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has successfully transported astronauts to the ISS, marking a new era of public-private collaboration in space exploration.
Nasa continues to push the boundaries of science and exploration, with ongoing missions to Mars, plans for lunar exploration, and ambitions to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.
