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 Sail material management during flight Demonstrate pathway to deep space flight with solar sails Lightweight spacecraft Compact and lightweight booms Navigation technologies
Our LightSail Program Km 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-1 demonstrates controlled flight by light 40 sq meters, 5 kg 2010 2013 2015
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) Sail Deployment Mechanism Solar Sail Storage (4) 3 axis Accelerometer (2) Whip Antenna
Spacecraft Stowed, Deployed
PPOD Launch Interface 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 Ejector (right) with companion satellite (left) PPOD Integrated on 4th stage Louis Friedman, Bill Nye The Science Guy, Jordi Puig-Suari
LightSail-1 Concept 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
Flight Project Manager Project Organization Program Manager Friedman Review Team: Flight Project Manager Cantrell Lightsail 1 System Engineering Jim Ingersoll Mission Operations Georgia Tech Dave Spencer Stellar Exploration Flight Systems Stellar/CPSLO Spacecraft Sail Module Stellar Aerospace Camera PPOD Ejector CPSLO TPS/Ames Launch Program Development Public Relations Monica Lopez and Communication Public Information Public Engagement Development Druyan/Cosmos Sudios Program Partner Huntress Cunningham Kerzhanovich Schurmeier Stetson Shirley Yost
Orbit Determination: Feeling the Force 05/20/10 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
Orbit Determination (cont.) 05/20/10 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
LightSail-1: Ready for Launch 2011
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