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LightSail

LightSail. Lightsail Objectives. Demonstrate viability of Solar Sails Ability to alter orbit energy in positive direction Ability to manage orbital energy Ability to control spacecraft under solar sail power Develop and demonstrate key technologies Sail deployment

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LightSail

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  1. LightSail

  2. Lightsail Objectives • Demonstrate viability of Solar Sails • Ability to alter orbit energy in positive direction • Ability to manage orbital energy • Ability to control spacecraft under solar sail power • Develop and demonstrate key technologies • Sail deployment • Sail material management during flight • Demonstrate pathway to deep space flight with solar sails • Lightweight spacecraft • Compact and lightweight booms • Navigation technologies

  3. Our LightSail Program LightSail-3 escapes Earth orbit and flies outside of Earth gravity 300 sq meters, 15 kg 1,000,000 10,000 1,000 Km LightSail-2 flies further, longer to raise orbit energy 100 sq meters, 5 kg LightSail-1demonstrates controlled flight by light 40 sq meters, 5 kg 2010 2013 2015

  4. The LightSail-1 Spacecraft Solar Panels (10) Cameras (2) Sail (4) 3 axis Accelerometer (2) Trac Booms (4) Sun Sensor (4) Momentum Wheel • Avionics Package • C&DH Board • Power Regulation • Transceiver • Payload interface Board Battery Torque Rod (3) Single Axis Gyro (3) Solar Sail Storage (4) Sail Deployment Mechanism 3 axis Accelerometer (2) Whip Antenna

  5. SpacecraftStowed, Deployed

  6. Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer • PPOD Ejector – flown > 20 times • Arrives fully integrated • Mass < 10 kg total • Volume envelope: 14x14x40 cm • Ejection through single voltage signal • Bolted mechanical interface • Orbit > 825 km altitude, I > 75 degrees • Launch after January 2011 PPOD Launch Interface PPOD Ejector (right) with companion satellite (left) PPOD Integrated on 4th stage Louis Friedman, Bill Nye The Science Guy, Jordi Puig-Suari

  7. LightSail-1Concept of Operations Sail uses sun energy to gain orbit energy (up to 4.29x10-5 m/s2 when “on”). 3 - 4 week mission life. Drift away from primary vehicle, eject from PPOD, deploy whip antenna, 3 axis stabilization. Solar panel deployment followed by Solar Sail (Sail deployment video stored for downlink) 9.6 Kbps 437 MHz downlink FSK. Acceleration data and 2 camera images/day Sun Synchronous Orbit 824 km, inclined 98° Command and Control from Cal Poly and Ga. Tech and other ground stations as appropriate Delta 7920-10 Secondary launch with NPP (June 2011) Vandenberg AFB Amateur Optical trackers to provide position data

  8. Project Organization Huntress Cunningham Kerzhanovich Schurmeier Stetson Shirley Yost

  9. Orbit Determination: Feeling the Force • Laser Ranging • International Laser Ranging Service measures ranges from ground stations to satellite retro-reflectors to millimeter accuracy • Status: ILRS contacted • Optical Observations • Engage amateur astronomy network to provide optical measurements • Right ascension and declination (angles) determined by reference to known stars • Observation times synchronized to international time signals • Status: In discussions with Gil Moore, Project Starshine Director

  10. Orbit Determination (cont.) • Radar Observations • NORAD Two-Line Elements • Mean elements based upon Earth true equator, mean equinox of epoch frame • Frequency of observation varies based upon orbit • Accelerometer Measurements • On-board measurements of body-fixed accelerations in 3-axes • Lumidyne Test Experiment – sensitive to 0.1 µg, • 6 accelerometers, mass <200 gm • Orbit Determination Solutions • Orbit solution based upon flight-proven OD methods

  11. LightSail-1: Ready for Launch 2011

  12. Join the team: http://planetary.orghttp://planetary.org/special/fromearth/sail

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