NASA's Next-Generation Solar Sail Mission

NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System seeks to advance future space travel and expand our understanding of our Sun and solar system.

Video credit: NASA's Ames Research Center
Music Provided by Universal Production Music: Cloud Fire

NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics.

[absiddique]

I only wish if NASA had the budget of the U.S military.

[MiG-IsGOAT]

Thank you for thinking in solar sailing again! Its weird this amazing propulsion method and we haven't yet mastered it, but its great that you guys are working on this, good luck!

[JBaxter-pioj]

Amazing. Good to see that NASA is utilizing the natural "environment" to help move spacecraft. Let's have more of this! Thank you.

[Shineinpoverty]

This is coolest stuff I have heard of in years. Spaceships with sails, this is pretty much stimpunk

[TASTEGROUND]

yall, can i borrow your computer mine suck and i wanna experiment something in minecraft

[randomdaveUK]

I've always loved the look of these, image that flying from system to system

[Aldx_Ja]

HUMAN SUPREMACY!!!! THE STARS ARE OUR BIRTHRIGHT💯💯

[neumagellan]

So cool to see another bit of science fiction become reality. When I was a kid we had not even landed on the moon yet, but I would read about star faring ships using ion drives, solar sails and the like. These things seemed like pure fantasy that might never be seen in my lifetime. Now, ion drives are in regular use. Solar sails are being deployed in space for field testing and further development. Artificial intelligence is becoming reality. It is a wondrous thing to see happening.

[casualfriday]

Looking forward to more solar sails! There is so much potential with this technology

[kelly-dory]

Trek tec becoming real every day. So cool

[ashuraff]

Só consegui lembrar da série: For All Mankind

[gordonlaupu]

Bro, instead of sea of thieves, it's gonna be a constilation of corsairs

[known]

Seems DOA, further you get from a star the less effective these become and quite dramatically. Also if a solar sail was to leave the heliosphere it be torn to shreds.

[peterd]

I wonder if you could use spin instead of those booms to keep it stretched out.

[pamplin]

When do you plan to launch it? I wish you success


I really wanted to watch the launch of NASA's next generation solar sail, but I was very disappointed to hear that it was launched at 4.23 6:33p.m. I'll definitely see you next time.

[stargot]

Great ! Predicted in sci Fi books for so long and to see it come true I look forward to see this mission succeed. I would not accept any failure from Rocket Lab or other third parties this time !!

[lmaomoofeq]

We have officially reached level 1 of space exploration 🎉🎉🎉

[LittleFeet-eh]

I calculated that if we wanted to go to Mars, it would take it 55 days for the solar sail to accelerate at a speed of 185, 145m/s.

[ivaroAI]

I heard about this and it's research which dates quite a while back. Great to see the continous development.

What are the power consumption requirements for such spacecraft? I'm sure we can already sustain it on the energy captured from a cosmic void.

These will achieve great goals and a great achievement for you. 👏

[FOLKTALES]

Started exploring the seas with sails, only to go to it for space. It's really cool.