History of Solar Sail Flight TestsLouis Friedman

20 July 2010

History of Solar Sail Test FlightsYear Countr

yFlight Goal Result

1993

Russia

Znamiye -- Deployment of “shade” outside of Mir

Success – but not a sail

1999

Russia

Znamiye-2 Deployment test from Progress

Collided with s/c antenna during deployment

2002

TPS Sub-orbital deployment test Rocket 3rd stage failed to separate

2004

Japan Sub-orbital deployment tests Success

2006

Japan Deployment test in Earth orbit on Astro-F

Did not fully deploy

2005

TPS COSMOS 1 – Fully controlled flight in Earth orbit

Rocket failed during 1st stage

2008

U.S. Nanosail-D: Sail orbital deployment in atmosphere as a drag brake

Rocket failed to deliver to orbit

2010

Japan IKAROS: interplanetary flight June – successful deploy first solar sail in space

History of Solar Sail Test Flights

Solar Sails In DevelopmentMission Who Size Status Mass Launch

COSMOS 1 TPS 150 sq m Launch failure 130 kg 2005

Nanosail D MSFC 9 sq. m Launch failure 4.5 Kg 2008

IKAROS JAXA In orbit – success 2010

Lightsail – 1 TPS 32 sq m In development 4.5 kg 2011

Cubesail EADS - Surrey

25 sq. m In planning/dev. 5 kg 20111

Cube Sail CU Aerospace

20 sq. m In planning 5 Kg 20122

Lightsail - 2 TPS 100 sq m In planning stages 10 kg 2013

Ultra Sail CU Aerospace

100 sq m In planning 20 kg 20153

Dragonfly Amsat 10 sq m Last data 2007 20 kg No plans

Nanosail D-II MSFC 20 sq. m Refurb. & launch 4.5 kg Sept

Some Other History

Halley Comet Heilogyro Study at JPL

Mariner 10 used solar pressure for attitude control

MESSENGER used solar pressure for navigation control of trajectory•World Space Federation private effort built sail

•U3P in France another private effort•Abortive Columbus 500 Race to the Moon Competition had several private groups•ESA/DFVLR/Kayser-Threde development started for Volna launch•NASA/MSFC with Industry built two 20x20 meter prototypes•NASA ST9 mission proposal

Now to the PresentCongratulations to the Japan SPace Exploration Center (JSPEC) of JAXA for their IKAROS Solar Sail flight. We look forward o hearing more about the flight

Now to the Present – IKAROSPiggyback on the Venus Climate Orbiter (Planet-C) Mission: June 2010

Congratulations to the Japan SPace Exploration Center (JSPEC) of JAXA for their IKAROS Solar Sail flight. We look forward o hearing more about the flight

IKAROS’ Sail and Deployment

Deploying the Solar Sail

Tip Mass Solar Cell! Tether Steering Device Vary reflectance - current

IKAROS in Space

NASA Nanosail-D •Marshall Space Flight Center developed

•Ames developed nanosat bus

•Not for sailing, but for atmospheric drag

•Aug 2008 flight lost when Falcon 1 failed

•First sought for TPS to fly spare spacecraft

•MSFC changed mind: now planning to fly piggyback on DOD FastSat in Jan(?) 2010• TPS nominally “part of” mission

but doing nothing

LightSail-1

Solar SailsCharacteristic Acceleration (micro-g)

IKAROS Nanosail-D Cosmos-1 LightSail-10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7