NanoSail D

NanoSail D is a cubesat-based solar sail demonstrator. The mission goals are:

• Establish ARC-MSFC collaborative relationship for future small satellite initiatives
• Deploy a 10 m² solar sail leveraging work by MSFC approved under the SMD In-Space Propulsion Program
• Demo Orbital Debris Mitigation technology – drag sail
• Ground Imaging to reduce spacecraft instrumentation
• Add to flight experience – ARC Bus "light" experience

Two units of the NanoSail D satellites have been built. The first satellite failed to reach orbit due to a launch vehicle first stage malfunction.

References:

• Source: http://www.crestnrp.org/nanosail/

Last update: 27.09.2009
Contact: gunter.krebs@skyrocket.de
© Gunter Dirk Krebs