Photon Propulsion for a Gossamer Spacecraft

Solar sail Operations Linking Academic Researchers (SOLAR)

The SOLAR Research Group is comprised of ten students from five universities across the United States. Two teams, Alpha and Beta, with representatives from each university are working in joint partnership to develop solar sail deployment and nanosatellite design. Experiments testing new deployment designs will be tested aboard NASA’s KC-135 Weightless Wonder pending approved proposals. The experimental results from microgravity experiments are the first steps toward developing a working nanosat that will make the voyage to Mars in conjunction with the NSGSSP, National Space Grant Student Satellite Program.

Meet the Team Outreach Experiment References

Updates

Summer 2003 - Two successful flights!

03-22-03 - After 3 months of continuous design progress and materials acquisition, early construction has begun!

12-06-02 - CONGRATULATIONS! Alpha & Beta are chosen for Flight Group 5, July 10-19 2003

11-21-02 - New webpage additions, including fancy flash intro

11-13-02 - Jayleen is new SOLAR Alpha Team Coordinator, CONGRATULATIONS!

11-05-02 - SOLAR Alpha Team Coordinator position opens up due to school conflict

10-31-02 - Proposals posted, Team Bios posted along with contact info and a new photos page

10-27-02 - Solarvision website up and running

10-23-02 - Proposals Alpha and Beta successfully submitted to Reduced Gravity office

Gossamer Spacecraft Deployment in Microgravity

Nanosatellite Frame Deployment in Microgravity

Abstract

NASA, in conjunction with other research groups, is investigating both solar sail and nanosatellite (nanosat) technologies. A major challenge is the unpacking and deployment of a gossamer solar sail to operational configuration. Possible gossamer sails use a thin polymer membrane or sandwiched carbon microtruss/mylar with a shape memory inflatable support structure. Due to the gossamer structure’s low stiffness, deployment is not fully achieved in Earth gravity conditions. SOLAR Alpha will investigate the deployment of various solar sail configurations in microgravity. This experiment tests the unfurling of single sails for future use in a final four-sail nanosat assembly and measures the reaction forces acting on the sail support during deployment. A variety of sail designs will be tested to aid in SOLAR’s mission to build a fully functional nanosat. These designs will account for deployment reliability, consistency, and simplicity, with an emphasis on a lightweight sail assembly. The sail displaying the most favorable characteristics will be integrated into the design chosen by SOLAR Beta, the co-dependent nanosat frame experiment. Along with the technical phases, the unique multi-institutional, nationwide team structure of SOLAR will be used to full advantage in our outreach objectives. Primary objectives include the dissemination of experiment design, methods, collaboration efforts, and results to a broad audience including all technical levels. Other objectives will also work toward informing the public of NASA’s vision and exciting the next generation about space science, engineering, and exploration.

Abstract

Small, lightweight, single-function satellites, referred to as nanosatellites, are being developed for missions orbiting Earth and, eventually Mars. Common nanosat designs have a frame 10 centimeters on a side and a mass of less than one kilogram. SOLAR is investigating the construction of a nanosat with a deployable solar sail to be used for propulsion and/or communication. The goal is to develop a frame deployment configuration that opens from a cube to a planar support offering stability and attitude control in microgravity. SOLAR Beta will be investigating the dynamics of the nanosat frame during deployment. The experiment will consist of a series of deployments in microgravity testing various frame configurations and deployment methods. This research and various design aspects are being completed in conjunction with, and dependent on, the solar sail deployment experiment, SOLAR Alpha. The two experiments together build the framework for future research that combines the most successful designs from both experiments to build an integrated frame and deployable sail. Along with the technical phases, the unique multi-institutional, nationwide team structure of SOLAR will be used to full advantage in our outreach objectives. Primary objectives include the dissemination of experiment design, methods, collaboration efforts, and results to a broad audience at all technical levels. Other objectives will also work toward informing the public of NASA’s vision and stimulating the next generation’s interest in space science, engineering, and exploration.