{"id":88711,"date":"2016-09-19T17:45:04","date_gmt":"2016-09-19T21:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-391221"},"modified":"2023-07-26T12:06:15","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T16:06:15","slug":"solar-sail-demonstrator-sunjammer","status":"publish","type":"topic","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/solar-sail-demonstrator-sunjammer\/","title":{"rendered":"Solar Sail Demonstrator (\u2018Sunjammer\u2019)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\" hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-secondary-navigation\"><div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-wrapper z-top width-100 padding-0\"><div id=\"\" class=\"hds-secondary-navigation width-full border-bottom-1px text-center hds-color-mode-light hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-hdsnav\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"hds-secondary-nav-mobile-button display-flex tablet:display-flex desktop:display-none width-full flex-align-center bg-carbon-90 border-color-carbon-80 color-spacesuit-white\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"hds-secondary-nav-track\"><span>TDM<\/span><svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewBox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\" \/><\/svg><\/button><div class=\"hds-secondary-nav-track grid-container grid-container-extrawide padding-0 tablet:padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-2 \"><div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-menu-items\"><nav><ul class=\"usa-nav__primary usa-accordion flex-justify-center margin-0\"><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/\">TDM Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/about-tdm\/\">About<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"basic-nav-section-one\"><span>Projects<\/span><svg class=\"hds-desktop-submenu-toggle-icon display-none tablet:display-none desktop:display-block\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewBox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\" \/><\/svg><svg class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon display-block tablet:display-block desktop:display-none\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"8\" r=\"7.5\" fill=\"#0B3D91\" stroke=\"white\"\/><rect x=\"4\" y=\"7.6001\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" fill=\"white\"\/><rect class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon-line-vertical\" x=\"7.59998\" y=\"12\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" transform=\"rotate(-90 7.59998 12)\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg><\/button><ul id=\"basic-nav-section-one\" class=\"usa-nav__submenu\" hidden><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology-demonstration-missions-tdm\/#active\">Active Projects<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/past-technology-demonstration-missions\/\">Past Projects <\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/technology-demonstration-missions-tdm-news\/\">TDM News<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/gallery\/technology-demonstration-missions-tdm\/\">Multimedia<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/about-tdm\/#media\">Media Resources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full maxw-full width-full padding-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-page-intro\">\n\t<div class=\"padding-0 bg-spacesuit-white wp-block-nasa-blocks-page-intro\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-page-intro hds-page-intro-banner width-full maxw-full padding-0 hds-cover-wrapper minh-tablet\">\n\t\t<div class=\"hds-foreground-wrapper display-flex\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container grid-container-block margin-top-auto margin-bottom-auto width-full maxw-desktop-lg padding-top-9 padding-x-3 z-400\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6 desktop:padding-right-4 margin-bottom-3 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"page-heading-md line-height-sm color-spacesuit-white-important\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSolar Sail Demonstrator\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p-lg color-carbon-30-important\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6 desktop:padding-right-4 margin-bottom-3 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-left mobile-skrim-top z-200\"><\/div>\n\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg?w=620\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"An artist's concept of a solar sail in Earth orbit.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg?resize=600,450 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/figure>\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In 2011, a NASA team embarked on the development of a Technology Demonstration Mission known as the Solar Sail Demonstrator which intended to prove the viability and value of using a huge, ultra-thin sail unfurling in space and using the pressure of sunlight itself to provide propellant-free transport, hovering and exploration capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Led by industry manufacturer L\u2019Garde Inc. of Tustin, California, and including participation by the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.noaa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration<\/a>, the Solar Sail Demonstrator project was built upon successful ground-deployment experiments led by L\u2019Garde in 2005-2006 at the Plum Brook Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, a research laboratory managed by NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers\/glenn\/home\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Glenn Research Center<\/a> in Cleveland. It also leveraged the successful deployment of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/smallsats\/nanosaild.html\" rel=\"noopener\">NanoSail-D<\/a> sail, a 100-square-foot test article NASA launched to Earth orbit in 2011 to validate sail deployment techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once proven, solar sail technology could enable a host of versatile space missions, including flying an advanced space-weather warning system to more quickly and accurately alert satellite operators and utilities on Earth of geomagnetic storms caused by coronal mass ejections from the sun. The technology also could help remove some of the more than 8,000 pieces of orbital launch debris ringing the planet; conduct station-keeping operations, or hover at high latitudes above Earth for communications and observation; and drive a variety of propellantless, deep-space exploration and supply ferrying missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The planned test flight of the Solar Sail Demonstrator \u2014 dubbed \u201cSunjammer\u201d by its designers in honor of the 1964 Arthur C. Clarke story of the same name, in which he coined the term \u201csolar sailing\u201d \u2014 was intended to deploy and operate a sail approximately 124 feet on a side. That\u2019s almost 13,000 square feet \u2014 seven times larger than any solar sail tested in space to date. But when collapsed, it was the size of a dishwasher and weighed just 110 pounds. Attached to a 282-pound disposable support module, the Sunjammer could be packed into a secondary payload on a rocket bound for the Earth-Sun Lagrange Point L1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Solar Sail Readies for Early Warning Mission\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8LmePYdraoU?list=PLBEXDPatoWBme9UjQtUdOx_ij3VjSc0qA\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The sail was intended to be flight-tested in 2015, launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and then deployed and unfurled in space to catch the sunlight, while researchers tested attitude controls and assessed sail stability and their ability to trim. They also sought to execute a navigation sequence with mission-capable accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project was concluded in 2014 prior to flight testing, with valuable lessons learned and project data maintained for use by future NASA and commercial space sail projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s Technology Demonstration Missions are sponsored by the agency\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/spacetech\/home\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Space Technology Mission Directorate<\/a> in Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-topic-cards nasa-gb-align-full maxw-full width-full padding-y-6 padding-x-3 color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-topic-cards\">\t\t<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block-lg padding-x-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row flex-align-center margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-8 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-2\">Keep Exploring<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-36 line-height-sm\">Discover More Topics From NASA<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-gap-2 hds-topic-cards-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/space-technology-mission-directorate\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Space Technology Mission Directorate<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"margin-bottom-0 margin-top-2 color-carbon-20-important\">Space Technology Mission Directorate. Technology drives exploration and the space economy.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"525\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/stmd.jpg?w=525\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/stmd.jpg 525w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/stmd.jpg?resize=197,300 197w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/stmd.jpg?resize=263,400 263w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/stmd.jpg?resize=394,600 394w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/stmd-solicitations-and-opportunities\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>STMD Solicitations and Opportunities<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1161\" height=\"773\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/stmd-solicitations.jpg?w=1161\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/stmd-solicitations.jpg 1161w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/stmd-solicitations.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/stmd-solicitations.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/stmd-solicitations.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/stmd-solicitations.jpg?resize=400,266 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/stmd-solicitations.jpg?resize=600,399 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/stmd-solicitations.jpg?resize=900,599 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1161px) 100vw, 1161px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology-transfer-spinoffs\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Technology Transfer & Spinoffs<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"746\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?w=985\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=768,582 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=400,303 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=600,454 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=900,682 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?w=1536\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg 4160w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/loftid-4_copy.jpg?resize=2000,1333 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>R<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2011, a NASA team embarked on the development of a Technology Demonstration Mission known as the Solar Sail Demonstrator which intended to prove the viability and value of using a huge, ultra-thin sail unfurling in space and using the pressure of sunlight itself to provide propellant-free transport, hovering and exploration capabilities. Led by industry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":113687,"parent":165109,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[]},"categories":[3335],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebPage","headline":"Solar Sail Demonstrator (\u2018Sunjammer\u2019)","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/solar-sail-demonstrator-sunjammer\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/solar-sail-demonstrator-sunjammer\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Directorates","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Beth Ridgeway"}],"creator":["Beth Ridgeway"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Directorates","Space Technology Mission Directorate","Technology Demonstration Missions Program"],"dateCreated":"2016-09-19T21:45:04Z","datePublished":"2016-09-19T21:45:04Z","dateModified":"2023-07-26T16:06:15Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Solar Sail Demonstrator (\u2018Sunjammer\u2019)\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/tdm\/solar-sail-demonstrator-sunjammer\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"index\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2016-09-19T21:45:04Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Directorates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Directorates,Space Technology Mission Directorate,Technology Demonstration Missions Program\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Beth Ridgeway\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"time_ago":"8 years","featured_image":{"id":113687,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006.jpg","title":"475897main_080421-earthsail_3023x2006","alt":"An artist's concept of a solar sail in Earth orbit.","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic\/88711"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/topic"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic\/88711\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":470706,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic\/88711\/revisions\/470706"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic\/165109"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88711"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=88711"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=88711"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=88711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}