A new solar sail concept selected by NASA for a demonstration mission might take space exploration with this propulsion technology to new destinations. The Diffractive Solar Sailing project -reports Europa Press- has been selected for Phase III study within the framework of NASA’s Advanced Innovative Concepts (NIAC) program. Phase III is intended to strategically transition from advanced innovative concepts (NIACs) with the greatest potential impact to NASA, other government agencies, or commercial partners.
The new Phase III competition will award the research team $2 million over two years to continue technology development in preparation for a possible future demonstration mission. The project is led by Amber Dubill of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.
The diffractive light sail would extend solar sail capability beyond what is possible with missions currently in development, according to NASA.
Work on Phase III will optimize sail material and perform ground tests in support of this conceptual solar mission. Orbits that pass over the Sun’s north and south poles are difficult to achieve using conventional spacecraft propulsion.
Diffractive light sails, powered by the constant pressure of sunlight, might place a constellation of scientific spacecraft in orbit around the Sun’s poles to advance understanding of the Sun and improve space weather forecasting capabilities.
[Pie de foto: las velas solares difractivas, representadas en esta ilustración conceptual, podrían permitir misiones a lugares de difícil acceso, como las órbitas sobre los polos del Sol. – Mackenzi Martin].
