NASA Composite Booms Deploy, Mission Sets Sail in Space

NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail Systemis now fully deployed in space after a successful test of its sail-hoisting boom system. Mission operators confirmed success at 1:33 p.m. EDT (10:33 a.m. PDT)on Thursday, Aug. 29, after receiving data from the spacecraft.Centrally locatedaboard the spacecraft are four cameras which captured a panoramic viewof the reflective sail and supporting composite booms. High-resolution imagery from these cameras will be available on Wednesday,Sept. 4.

During the next few weeks, the team will test the maneuvering capabilities of the sail in space. Raising and lowering the orbit of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft will provide valuable information that may help guide future concepts of operations and designs for solar sail-equipped science and exploration missions. 

The Advanced Composite Solar Sail Systemspacecraft orbits Earth at approximately twice the altitude of the International Space Station. From above, the sail will appear as a square, with an area of approximately 860 square feet (80 square meters) - about half the size of a tennis court. Now, with the sail fully extended, the Solar Sail System may be visible to some keen skywatchers on Earth who look up at the right time. Stay tuned to NASA.gov and @NASAAmes on social media for updates on how to catch the spacecraft passing over your area.

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NASA Ames manages the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System project and designed and built the onboard camera diagnostic system. NASA Langley designed and built the deployable composite booms and solar sail system. NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology program office based at NASA Ames and led by the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate, funds and manages the mission. NASA STMD's Game Changing Development program developed the deployable composite boom technology. Rocket Lab USA, Inc of Long Beach, California provided launch services, and NanoAvionics provided the spacecraft bus.