NASA has announced that its experimental ACS3 solar sailing spacecraft is performing as expected, after it was seen tumbling in the night sky.
NASA spacecraft take first photo of tumbling solar sail
The 80 m2 (860 sq ft) Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) successfully deployed its sails last week. The spacecraft uses pressure produced by solar radiation to propel itself – doing away with conventional rocket propellants. NASA is testing the sail in hopes that its design, and the materials used, are viable for future ships.
As boffins put it:
NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, or ACS3, technology demonstration uses composite materials – or a combination of materials with different properties – in its new, lightweight booms deployed from a CubeSat. Data obtained from ACS3 will guide the design of future larger composite solar sail systems that could be used for space weather early warning satellites, near-Earth asteroid reconnaissance missions, or communications relays for crewed exploration missions.
