{"id":277932,"date":"2024-04-11T07:16:27","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T14:16:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/es\/?p=329996"},"modified":"2025-07-01T16:44:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T23:44:26","slug":"like-a-boat-the-next-nasa-spacecraft-will-be-propelled-by-a-sail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/like-a-boat-the-next-nasa-spacecraft-will-be-propelled-by-a-sail\/","title":{"rendered":"Like a boat? The next NASA spacecraft will be propelled by a sail"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The NASA<\/strong> is preparing to launch next April its Advanced Composite Solar Sail System<\/strong> (ACS3) aboard the Electron<\/strong> rocket from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in M\u0101hia, New Zealand. This innovative technology uses solar energy for propulsion<\/strong>, and promises to redefine space travel and expand our understanding of the solar system.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Solar sails utilize the pressure of sunlight<\/strong>, exerted by photons bouncing off a reflective sail, to propel a spacecraft. This method eliminates the need for heavy propulsion systems, enabling longer missions at lower costs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the effectiveness of solar sails has historically been hindered by the limitations of the materials used for the booms<\/strong>, the structures that hold the sails in place, similar to the mast of a sailboat. NASA<\/a>‘s latest initiative aims to overcome these challenges with cutting-edge design<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ACS3 mission<\/a> will deploy a twelve-unit (12U) CubeSat<\/strong>, built by NanoAvionics, to test an innovative composite material boom made from a blend of flexible polymer and carbon fiber. These materials are not only lighter but also stiffer<\/strong> than those used in previous designs, offering a promising solution to the challenges faced by earlier solar sail technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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