NASA Partners With NanoAvionics to Test Advanced Solar Sail Propulsion
NASA selects NanoAvionics to build a satellite for testing a massive new solar sail that uses sunlight instead of fuel for propulsion. The technology promises to lower costs and enable long-duration deep-space missions.
NASA partners with NanoAvionics to test a new solar sail system designed to replace traditional propellant-based thrusters on small satellites. The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) involves a small satellite that deploys an 800-square-foot sail in low Earth orbit. Instead of using solar power for electricity, this sail captures the physical energy of photons from the sun to push the spacecraft forward.
Although the force generated by striking photons is incredibly small, the continuous push in the frictionless vacuum of space allows the spacecraft to build up significant speed over time. This propulsion method requires absolutely no fuel, which drastically reduces launch costs and operational weight. NASA sees this as a key to unlocking affordable, long-duration missions across the solar system.
If successful, this technology could serve as a foundation for complex future endeavors like deep-space asteroid mining, where carrying conventional fuel makes logistics practically impossible. While NASA previously tested a solar sail in 2011 and The Planetary Society successfully demonstrated orbital adjustments with a crowdfunded sail last year, this new test pushes the technology further. The ultimate goal is to use these sails as scientific scouts to explore the far reaches of space on a budget.