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LightSail-1 is a solar sail project being developed by the Planetary Society, an organization devoted to space exploration. A solar sail is a spacecraft that uses only pressure from sunlight to travel. LightSail-1 was announced in November of 2009 and is scheduled to be launched near the end of 2010. It will be 32 square meters in the shape of a kite and will have electronics attached. It will test the theory of propulsion by only sunlight. If successful there will be two more projects.
Creation
editIn 2005 the Planetary Society tried to send it's first solar sail, Cosmos 1, into orbit but failed because the rocket it was riding didn't reach the needed height[1]. Later on they took over NASA's small project called Nanosail, which they renamed LighSail-1[2]. In November 2009 the society announced in Washington D.C. that it would launch another solar sail, LightSail-1[2]. The exact date depends on the available rockets around the end of 2010. The estimated cost of LightSail-1 is $1.8 million from private sources. It is being built in San Luis Obispo by Stellar Exploration Inc.[1].
Design
editTravel by Sunlight
editLightSail-1 is theorized to be dependent only on sunlight. The light should cause a small pressure on the sails due to photons pushing on them. The pressure will create a small acceleration. Hence the solar sail should be propelled by pressure from sunlight, not by solar wind, which is streams of gases[3].Although the acceleration would be low, it would be constant and over time the solar sail would reach high speeds[1].
Structure
editLightSail-1 has four triangular sails and will be in the shape of a diamond. It will first be packed to a size of three liters and will unfold in space to 32 square meters. The sails are made of Mylar, a reflective polyester film. LightSail-1 has three CubeSats, small satellites created for universities for outer space projects. One will have cameras, sensors and control systems. The others will contain the sails.[4]
Mission
editLightSail-1's goal is to test if space travel is possible by using only sunlight. The theory will be tested by checking if there is any increase in LightSail-1's orbit speed. It will get to space by riding along with another rocket that will reach the needed height, five hundred miles. During the flight the orbit speed will be measured to detect any increase[4].
Future
editIf LightSail-1 is successful, then the society will plan two more solar sail projects with higher goals, LighSail-2 and -3. LighSail-2's goal will be to provide new information and improve solar sailing control. LightSail-3's goal would be to travel to L1, a spot between Earth and the sun where an object would be stationary. There it would be used to detect geomagnetic storms on the sun, which can damage power and communication systems. The detection will provide earlier warnings of power failures[2] [4]
References
edit- ^ a b c Antczak, John. "After letdown, solar-sail project rises again" MSNBC, November 9, 2009
- ^ a b c Overbye, Dennis. "Setting Sail Into Space, Propelled by Sunshine" The New York Times, November 9, 2009
- ^ "Planetary Society To Sail Again With LightSail" Space Travel, November 10, 2009
- ^ a b c "LightSail-1" The Planetary Society