NASA's Pioneering Solar Sail Hits a Snag

NASA's solar-sailing spacecraft has a bent boom and is still tumbling in Earth orbit (photo)
The technology-demonstrating Advanced Composite Solar Sail System has a bent boom in Earth orbit, but NASA says it shouldn't be a big deal.
NASA’s Pioneering Solar Sail Hits a Snag While Tumbling in Space
After deploying four composite booms on board the experimental solar sail mission, NASA engineers observed a slight bend in one of the poles that extends along the spacecraft’s wings, the space agency revealed in a recent update. The team behind the mission is hoping that the bent boom does not hinder the remainder of the mission.
See A Solar Sail In The Night Sky - NASA Explains How
NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) will be visible from the ground. Find out when you can see it on the NASA app on a mobile device. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Tumbling in Orbit: NASA’s Test of Advanced Solar Sail Technology Encounters Early Challenges
NASA's mission to advance solar sail technology through the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System has shown promising signs, despite slight complications. The team is focused on collecting data to enable future solar sail missions and optimize spacecraft performance.
NASA Grapples With Unexpected Glitch On Its First Solar Sail Spacecraft; Here's What Happened
While NASA revealed that the data gathered since the sail deployment is proving to highly valuable, it added, "The mission team predicts the slight bend in one of the four booms will not inhibit the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System’s ability to execute its sailing maneuvers later in the technology demonstration."
NASA’s Solar Sail Mission Faces Challenges as Spacecraft Tumbles Uncontrollably
NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3), an innovative mission to test solar sail propulsion, is facing significant challenges after the spacecraft lost orientation and began tumbling through space.
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