The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 is a revolutionary spacecraft that uses light from the Sun as its propellant. This groundbreaking technology has the potential to change the way we explore space and could lead to new and exciting missions to distant planets and moons.
LightSail 2 was successfully deployed from the International Space Station in 2019. The spacecraft is a thin, reflective sail that is propelled by the pressure of sunlight. As the sunlight strikes the sail, it creates a slight force that pushes the spacecraft forward. This force is very small, but over time it can add up to a significant amount of speed.
LightSail 2 is a proof-of-concept mission. The spacecraft’s goal is to demonstrate that solar sailing is a viable form of propulsion for spacecraft. If successful, LightSail 2 could pave the way for a new generation of spacecraft that are powered by the Sun.
Solar sailing is an attractive form of propulsion because it is fuel-free. This means that spacecraft that use solar sailing can travel for much longer distances and durations than spacecraft that rely on traditional rocket fuel. Solar sailing is also a very efficient form of propulsion. The amount of force that is generated by sunlight is very small, but it is constant. This means that spacecraft that use solar sailing can accelerate continuously, without having to worry about running out of fuel.
LightSail 2 is a major step forward in the development of solar sailing technology. The spacecraft’s success could lead to a new era of space exploration, where spacecraft are powered by the infinite energy of the Sun.
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