NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) is set to take flight on April 23, as Rocket Lab prepares to launch the innovative technology into orbit. The ACS3 will be aboard a Rocket Lab Electron vehicle, with liftoff scheduled to occur during a one-hour window starting at 6 p.m. EDT.
The launch will be livestreamed by Rocket Lab, with coverage beginning 30 minutes before the opening of the launch window. Solar sails, such as the ACS3, utilize sunlight to propel probes through space, eliminating the need for traditional fuel sources and providing a more efficient propulsion method.
The ACS3 mission aims to test new composite booms that will unfurl a solar sail measuring approximately 30 feet per side. Data collected during the mission will be instrumental in the development of larger-scale solar sail systems for a variety of space exploration missions.
Alongside the ACS3, the mission will also deploy the NEONSAT-1 Earth-observation satellite, which is designed to monitor natural disasters along the Korean coastline. Both the NEONSAT-1 and ACS3 will be deployed to different altitudes above Earth, each serving unique purposes in their respective missions.
This launch marks Rocket Lab’s “Beginning of the Swarm” mission, which is the company’s fifth orbital launch of 2024. Rocket Lab is also actively working towards making its Electron vehicle’s first stage reusable, with plans to recover and refly boosters in the near future.
As the countdown to liftoff begins, space enthusiasts and researchers alike are eagerly anticipating the potential of the ACS3 and its contributions to the future of space exploration. Stay tuned for updates on this groundbreaking mission as Rocket Lab propels towards new heights in innovation and technology.
