Recent Advances in Gossamer Spacecraft

Edited by Christopher H. M. Jenkins. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., Reston, Virginia, 2006. Volume 212 of Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics, Editor-in-Chief Frank K. Lu. ISBN 1-56347-777-7 Jenkins2006

This is the follow-on book to Gossamer Spacecraft: Membrane and Inflatable Structures Technology for Space Applications discussing recent work in gossamer and inflatable spacecraft technology. Specifically, Chapter 5 "Solar Sail Propulsion Technology Development" discusses solar sail technology advancement conducted under NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technologies solar sail program resulting in the ground deployment of two 20-m solar sails in a vacuum chamber. This work is precursory to actual flight validation which is currently being studied under the NASA New Millennium Program ST-9.