SolarSailWiki - New pages [en]

NEA Scout

2015-10-23T18:29:33Z

Ben: Added link to deployer paper

{{Stub}}
The [http://www.nasa.gov/content/nea-scout Near Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout)] is a mission to fly a 6-unit Cubesat solar sail spacecraft by an asteroid. It is a joint project between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), and NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC).

==Links==
* [http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/neascout.php JPL NEA Scout page]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-Earth_Asteroid_Scout Wikipedia NEA Scout article]
* [https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20160008143 Design and Development of NEA Scout Solar Sail Deployer Mechanism]

[[Category:Missions]]
[[Category:Planned Missions]]

LightSail has deployed

2015-06-07T21:47:33Z

Ben:

[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150607-lightsail-deployment-initiatied.html The Planetary Society's LightSail spacecraft successfully deployed its solar sail.] The link includes instructions on how to view the spacecraft using the [http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=40661 N2YO service.] The deployment comes after the mission struggled with [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150526-software-glitch-pauses-ls-test.html a software glitched caused a communications loss] and [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150604-lightsail-silent-again.html battery problems.] Also see the [http://www.planetary.org/press-room/releases/2015/bill-nye-planetary-society-1.html Planetary Society's press release.]

Congratulations, LightSail team!

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 17:47, 7 June 2015 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]
[[Category:LightSail]]

LightSail Team Prepares for Sail Deployment

2015-06-01T18:19:50Z

Ben:

[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150531-lightsail-possible-tuesday-deploy.html The LightSail team is preparing to run the deployment test of the solar sail on Wednesday June 3rd, 2015.] Deployment will be executed manually, and is happening shortly after the team resumed communications with the [[LightSail]] spacecraft. There was an [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150530-lightsail-phones-home.html 8 day communications blackout due to a glitch in the software.]

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 14:19, 1 June 2015 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]
[[Category:LightSail]]

LightSail launches Kickstarter campaign

2015-05-18T16:56:05Z

Ben: Created page with "[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theplanetarysociety/lightsail-a-revolutionary-solar-sailing-spacecraft The Planetary Society's LightSail solar sail project launched a Ki..."

[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theplanetarysociety/lightsail-a-revolutionary-solar-sailing-spacecraft The Planetary Society's LightSail solar sail project launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.] The campaign is raising funds to complete development of a 2nd [[LightSail]] test flight that will sail the spacecraft. The first test on May 20th, 2015, tests deployment of the sail.

===Updates===
* [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theplanetarysociety/lightsail-a-revolutionary-solar-sailing-spacecraft/posts/1234058 LightSail's Kickstarter campaign passed $550,000]], which fully funds the mission. The next stretch goal of $1 million will fund an outrach campaign to make broad public awareness of the LightSail solar sail and cubesat technology, so it can be put to work in future space missions.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 12:56, 18 May 2015 (EDT)

LightSail Launch Countdown

2015-05-18T16:39:57Z

Ben: Created page with "[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150517-lightsail-launch-countdown.html The Atlas V rocket carrying the Air Force X37B and LightSail] is rolling out to the l..."

[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150517-lightsail-launch-countdown.html The Atlas V rocket carrying the Air Force X37B and LightSail] is rolling out to the launch pad on Tuesday May 19th, 2015. The launch is scheduled for Wednesday May 20th, 2015, after which the [[LightSail]] spacecraft will test deployment of the sail. Solar sail flight test will happen on a later flight.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 12:39, 18 May 2015 (EDT)

StarTalk Cosmic Queries: LightSail with Bill Nye

2015-05-01T18:04:30Z

Ben: Created page with "[http://www.startalkradio.net/show/cosmic-queries-lightsail-with-bill-nye/ Bill Nye answers questions about solar sails and LightSail] on the April 19th, 2015, episode of Star..."

[http://www.startalkradio.net/show/cosmic-queries-lightsail-with-bill-nye/ Bill Nye answers questions about solar sails and LightSail] on the April 19th, 2015, episode of StarTalk Radio.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 14:04, 1 May 2015 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]
[[Category:LightSail]]

LightSail Readiness Tests Prepare Team for Mission Operations

2015-04-25T17:48:04Z

Ben: Created page with "[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20140424-lightsail-readiness-tests.html The Planetary Society's LightSail mission is undergoing tests to make sure the spacecr..."

[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20140424-lightsail-readiness-tests.html The Planetary Society's LightSail mission is undergoing tests to make sure the spacecraft is ready for operations] when it launches. [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150413-lightsail-launch-delayed.html LightSail is scheduled to launch no sooner than May 20th 2015], on an Atlas V rocket with the Air Force's X-37B reusable spaceplane.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 13:48, 25 April 2015 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]
[[Category:LightSail]]

Project Dragonfly

2015-04-25T17:33:17Z

Ben: Created page with "{{Stub}} Project Dragonfly is a proposal to launch a swarm of small solar sails to the stars using lasers. ===Links=== * [http://www.i4is.org/news/dragonfly Project Dragonfl..."

{{Stub}}

Project Dragonfly is a proposal to launch a swarm of small solar sails to the stars using lasers.

===Links===
* [http://www.i4is.org/news/dragonfly Project Dragonfly]
* [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1465787600/project-dragonfly-sail-to-the-stars Kickstarter campaign]

===News===
* [[Project Dragonfly on Kickstarter]]

[[Category:Interstellar]]
[[Category:Mission Concepts]]

Project Dragonfly on Kickstarter

2015-04-25T17:29:43Z

Ben: Created page with "Project Dragonfly is a proposal to launch a swarm of small solar sails to the stars using lasers. [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1465787600/project-dragonfly-sail-t..."

[[Project Dragonfly]] is a proposal to launch a swarm of small solar sails to the stars using lasers. [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1465787600/project-dragonfly-sail-to-the-stars They have launched a Kickstarter fundraising campaign] for the preliminary engineering design by international student teams.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]])

[[Category:News]]
[[Category:Interstellar]]

Dreaming Up the Future of Interstellar Travel

2015-04-25T17:02:22Z

Ben: Created page with "[http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/04/24/2015/dreaming-up-the-future-of-interstellar-travel.html Science Friday interviews Les Johnson] about the future of interstellar tra..."

[http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/04/24/2015/dreaming-up-the-future-of-interstellar-travel.html Science Friday interviews Les Johnson] about the future of interstellar travel.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 13:02, 25 April 2015 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]
[[Category:Interstellar]]

Lunar Flashlight

2014-11-19T18:00:07Z

Ben:

Lunar Flashlight was a NASA mission concept to shine reflected sunlight at the south pole of the moon with a small solar sail to help find volatiles like water. It has changed to using lasers to illuminate lunar craters.

===Links===
* [http://sservi.nasa.gov/articles/lunar-flashlight/ NASA Lunar Flashlight page]

[[Category:Mission Concepts]]

Deep Space Propulsion: A Roadmap to Interstellar Flight

2014-10-27T19:10:25Z

Ben: Created page with "Category:Books {{#widget:AmazonLink |placement=1461406064 |asins=1461406064 |linkid=BEEFNSYZIDLZC35F }} By Kelvin F. Long. Chapter 10 discusses solar and beamed energy p..."

[[Category:Books]]

{{#widget:AmazonLink
|placement=1461406064
|asins=1461406064
|linkid=BEEFNSYZIDLZC35F
}}

By Kelvin F. Long. Chapter 10 discusses solar and beamed energy propulsion<cite>long2011deep</cite>.

===References===
<biblio force=yes>
#[[Bibliography]]
</biblio>

NASA Nixes Sunjammer Mission, Cites Integration, Schedule Risk

2014-10-19T00:33:39Z

Ben:

[http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/42227nasa-nixes-sunjammer-mission-cites-integration-schedule-risk Space News reports on the cancellation of NASA's solar sail demonstration mission (Sunjammer)].

Fair winds, [[LightSail]].

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 20:33, 18 October 2014 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]

Frequently Asked Questions

2014-08-30T19:51:07Z

Ben:

===What is a solar sail?===

===What pushes a solar sail if space is empty?===

===How does sunlight push on anything if it has no mass?===

===Does the solar wind push on a solar sail?===

===How hard does sunlight push?===

===If sunlight is so weak, how can a sail go anywhere?===

===How fast can a solar sail go?===

===Will meteoroids or space junk destroy the sail?===

===Can you sail towards the sun even though sunlight pushes outward?===

LightSail updates July 7, 2014

2014-07-07T22:41:10Z

Ben:

[http://www.planetary.org/ The Planetary Society's] [[LightSail|LightSail solar sail cubesat mission]] has posted some recent updates, including a major announcement.

* [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/mat-kaplan/20140627-lightsail-ready-launch.html LightSail is Ready for Launch! Join Us as the Countdown Begins. Live webcast and major announcement Wednesday July 9th, 2014]
* [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2014/20140701-lightsail-update-booms-pictures.html LightSail update: Of booms and pretty pictures, July 1, 2014]
* [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2014/lightsail-update-three-steps.html LightSail update: Three steps forward, one step back, June 18, 2014]

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 18:41, 7 July 2014 (EDT)

Updates:
* [[LightSail]] is scheduled to launch on a [http://www.spacex.com/falcon-heavy SpaceX Falcon Heavy] in April of 2016.
* [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2014/lightsail-update-launch.html The Planetary Society blog post about the LightSail launch].
* LightSail-A may fly in May of 2015 in a LEO test before flying LightSail-B high enough to sail in April 2016.
* LightSail-B will fly with the [http://www.ssdl.gatech.edu/projects.shtml Prox-1 nanosatellite mission] which will image LightSail.
--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 22:38, 9 July 2014 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]

Solar sail news roundup for October 3, 2013

2013-10-03T18:30:24Z

Ben:

It's been awhile since I posted on news in the world of solar sailing, so here's a list of stories that have come out in the past several months.
[[File:LGarde20mDemoSail.jpg|thumb|[[Sunjammer]]]]
* The [http://sunjammermission.com/Media/PressReleases/Worlds-Largest-Solar-Sail-Sunjammer-Completes-Successful-Test Sunjammer project successfully tested deployment of a sail quadrant] at a [http://www.lgarde.com L·Garde] facility in Tustin, CA, on September 30th, 2013. This is one boom and one sail out of four that will make up the flight sail.
** [http://sunjammermission.com/Media/PressReleases/Palm-Middle-School-Pioneers-The-Way-For-Other-Schools-By-Joining-NASA-Sunjammer-Mission-New-Space-Exploration-Education-Program-Launched Students from the Palm Middle School Science, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM) program visited L'Garde and watched the deployment test.]
** News Coverage
*** [http://www.universetoday.com/105202/huge-solar-sail-portion-unfurls-in-crucial-ground-test/ Universe Today: Huge Solar Sail Portion Unfurls In Crucial Ground Test]
*** [http://www.satnews.com/story.php?number=1848540147 Satnews: L'Garde Inc., Space Services Holdings + NASA - Sunjamming For Power (Technology-Sail)]
* [http://www.nbcnews.com/science/solar-sail-ships-seen-best-bet-now-get-us-interstellar-4B11235554 NBC News, September 23, 2013: Solar sail ships seen as best bet now to get us to interstellar space]. Discussion with physicist and novelist [http://www.gregorybenford.com/ Dr. Gregory Benford] on interstellar travel. [http://www.icarusinterstellar.org/projects/project-forward/ Project Forward] of [http://www.icarusinterstellar.org/ Icarus Interstellar] continues the study of beamed sail propulsion to other stars.
** [http://www.space.com/22799-interstellar-solar-sails-light-propulsion-infographic.html Infographic on interstellar sailing]
[[File:IKAROS solar sail.jpg|thumb|[[IKAROS]]]]
* The [[IKAROS]] sailcraft is still alive and orbiting the sun with occasional radio beacon contacts with the ground.
** English translation of IKAROS blog posts:
*** [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.isas.jaxa.jp%2Fhome%2FIKAROS-blog%2Findex.php%3Fitemid%3D1017 IKAROS Daily Report - August 29th, 2013]
*** [http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ja&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.isas.jaxa.jp%2Fhome%2FIKAROS-blog%2Findex.php%3Fitemid%3D1016&act=url IKAROS Daily Report - August 22nd, 2013]
* The [[CubeSail]] project and [[UltraSail]] concept of UIUC and CU Aerospace were [http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/17193 featured in NASA Tech Briefs on September 1st, 2013: UltraSail CubeSat Solar Sail Flight Experiment].
* [[International Symposium on Solar Sailing#Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing|The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing]] was held on June 11-13th, 2013, at the [http://www.strath.ac.uk/ascl/ University of Strathclyde] in Glasgow, Scotland.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 14:30, 3 October 2013 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]

NASA to Launch World's Largest Solar Sail in 2014

2013-02-26T01:19:27Z

Ben: Created page with "[http://www.space.com/19565-worlds-largest-solar-sail-sunjammer.html NASA to Launch World's Largest Solar Sail in 2014] by Leonard David of [http://space.com Space.com] goes i..."

[http://www.space.com/19565-worlds-largest-solar-sail-sunjammer.html NASA to Launch World's Largest Solar Sail in 2014] by Leonard David of [http://space.com Space.com] goes in depth on the [[Sunjammer]] mission.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 20:19, 25 February 2013 (EST)

[[Category:News]]

Crazy Far

2013-01-10T18:00:07Z

Ben: Created page with "==National Geographic Magazine: Crazy Far== [http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/space-exploration/folger-text Crazy Far] by Tim Folger with art by Stephan Martiniere i..."

==National Geographic Magazine: Crazy Far==

[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/space-exploration/folger-text Crazy Far] by Tim Folger with art by Stephan Martiniere is an article on [[:Category:Interstellar|interstellar exploration]] in [http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/exploration National Geographic's] January 2013 special issue, [http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/exploration The New Age of Exploration.]

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 13:00, 10 January 2013 (EST)

[[Category:News]]
[[Category:Interstellar]]

Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing Call for Papers

2012-10-16T16:57:07Z

Ben: Created page with "[http://www.solarsailing2013.com/ The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing] will be held in Glasgow at the University of Strathclyde, June 11-13th 2013. The call for..."

[http://www.solarsailing2013.com/ The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing] will be held in Glasgow at the University of Strathclyde, June 11-13th 2013. The call for papers for the symposium has been issued. Abstracts are due February 1 2013.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 12:57, 16 October 2012 (EDT)
[[Category:News]]

Astronomy Cast Episode 262: Solar Sails

2012-07-16T15:20:49Z

Ben: Undo revision 4332 by Ben (talk)

[http://www.astronomycast.com/2012/06/ep-262-solar-sails/ Episode 262 of Astronomy Cast] discusses solar sails and their recent developments.

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 11:20, 16 July 2012 (EDT)

[[Category:News]]

LightSail presented at Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium

2012-06-20T17:17:24Z

Ben: Undo revision 4333 by Ben (talk)

[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/bruce-betts/20120531-LightSail-Biddy-Presentation.html Bruce Betts reports in The Planetary Society Blogs] that Chris Biddy of Stellar Exploration Inc. presented technical details of the [[LightSail|LightSail 1]] spacecraft at the Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium. He provides [http://www.planetary.org/explore/projects/lightsail-solar-sailing/Aerospace-Mechanisms-Symposium_Chris-Biddy.pdf a copy of the presentation].

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 13:17, 20 June 2012 (EDT)
[[Category:News]]

Setting sail for the stars with 100-year project

2012-06-20T16:46:00Z

Ben: Undo revision 4334 by Ben (talk)

[http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/in-focus-setting-sail-for-the-stars-with-100-year-project-372414/ Flight Global] discusses [[Robert L. Forward|Dr. Robert L. Forward's]] [[:Category:Interstellar|interstellar]] laser sailing concept, the [http://100yss.org/ 100 Year Starship Initiative], and continuing work by [http://www.icarusinterstellar.org/projects/project-forward/ Icarus Interstellar].

--[[User:Ben|Ben]] ([[User talk:Ben|talk]]) 12:59, 20 June 2012 (EDT)
[[Category:News]]
[[Category:Interstellar]]