NASA mission operators continue to investigate the performance of the advanced composite sail system and test the performance of the sail masts. After the masts and sail have been successfully deployed, the system is still slowly rotating in orbit because the spacecraft's attitude control system has not yet been reactivated
NASA is advancing advanced solar sail technology through the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, and is showing promising signs despite minor complications. The team is focused on gathering data that will enable future solar sail missions and improve the spacecraft's performance.
NASA mission operators continue to investigate the performance of the advanced composite sail system and test the performance of the sail masts. After the masts and sail have been successfully deployed, the system is still slowly rotating in orbit because the spacecraft's attitude control system has not yet been reactivated.
During the retirement phase, the crew turned off the attitude control system to accommodate changes in spacecraft dynamics as the sail deployed. The attitude control system is critical to maintaining the direction of the spacecraft, whether it is aiming an antenna towards a ground station for communication or positioning the solar panels in front of the sun for charging the battery.
Assessment of structural integrity in the route
While the solar sail is fully deployed to its square shape, which is about half the size of a tennis court, the mission team examines what appears to be a slight bend in one of the four masts. This most likely occurred when the masts and sail were stretched into the spaceship during retirement. The analysis suggests that the bend may have partially straightened out in the weeks since the mast was retired, while the spacecraft slowly rotates.
The primary objective of the advanced composite sail system demonstration is to test mast deployment in space to provide data for future applications of the composite mast technology to large-scale solar sails and other structures. The data collected from this flight test has already proven valuable, and this demonstration will continue to provide critical information that will enable future solar sail missions.
The task force estimates that the slight bending of one of the four masts will not interfere with the advanced complex sail system in performing its flight maneuvers at a later stage in the technology demonstration.
Energy conservation and mission strategy
Now, mission operators are working to reposition the spacecraft, keeping the advanced complex sail system in energy-saving mode until its solar panels are better positioned to face direct sunlight. The crew conserves the spacecraft's energy for priority operations - such as two-way communication with the mission center - until the attitude control system is reactivated.
When the attitude control system is reactivated, the spacecraft will be able to point its high-frequency radio antenna more precisely toward the ground station as it passes over it during its brief communication windows with the mission team. At this point, the team will be able to collect additional data, calibrate the exact shape of the sail and prepare to begin its directional maneuvers.
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