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 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

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)
Sail Deployment Mechanism
Solar Sail Storage (4)
3 axis Accelerometer (2)
Whip Antenna

5. Spacecraft Stowed, Deployed

6. 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

7. LightSail-1 Concept of Operations
Sail uses sun energy to gain orbit energy (up to 4.29x10-5 m/s2 when “on”) 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
Secondary launch with NPP (June 2011) Vandenberg AFB
Amateur Optical trackers to provide position data

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. LightSail-1: Ready for Launch 2011

12. Join the team: http://planetary. org http://planetary