Posted 4/15/2024, 10:00:01 AM
NASA to Test Lighter, Bigger Solar Sails for Deep Space Travel
- NASA to test new solar sail technology called Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) on upcoming mission
- ACS3 to launch no earlier than April 24 on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from New Zealand
- Goal is to test deployment of new composite booms to unfurl solar sails
- Booms are lighter, stiffer than past tech to hold sails that are 4x bigger than previous missions
- If successful, solar sails could enable affordable propulsion for deep space missions like Europa and Enceladus