[ad_1] After the month has passed, the craft will spend another year gradually deorbiting. It’s a rare achievement in spaceflight, and notable when LightSail relied partly on crowdfunding to make their project a reality. What’s important, though, is what comes next. The Scoiety intends to share data with others so they can implement or refine […]
Category: planetary society
LightSail 2 is now surfing on sunlight
[ad_1] One slight hiccup — the spacecraft did not rise far above the horizon, which scientists theorize is due to its orientation during the pass and the presence of the sail. The 32-square meter sail is roughly the size of a boxing ring. After the sail deployed on July 23rd, telemetry indicated that the spacecraft’s […]
LightSail 2 sends its first signals back to Earth
[ad_1] “We’re all very happy — after years of preparation, we are flying an operational spacecraft!” Bruce Betts, said LightSail program manager and Planetary Society chief scientist in a statement. The spacecraft sent its first signal back to Earth yesterday as it flew over mission control in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Mission ground stations […]