ODISSEE - A proposal for demonstration of a solar sail in Earth orbit

A recent pre-phase-A study conducted cooperatively between DLR and NASA/JPL concluded that a low-cost solar sail technology demonstration mission in E arth orbit is feasible. Such a mission, nicknamed ODISSEE (Orbital Demonstr ation of an Innovative, Solar Sail driven Expandable structure Experiment), is the recommended approach far the development of this advanced concept u sing solar radiation pressure far primary propulsion and attitude control. The mission, proposed for launch in 2001, would demonstrate and validate th e basic principles of sail fabrication, packaging, storage, deployment, and control. The demonstration mission scenario comprises a low-cost 'piggy ba ck' launch of a sailcraft with a total mass of about 80kg on ARIANE 5 into a geostationary transfer orbit, where a 40m x 40m square sail would be depl oyed. The aluminized sail film is folded and packaged in small storage cont ainers, upon release the sad would be supported by deployable light-weight carbon fiber booms. A coilable 10m central mast is attached to the center o f the sail assembly with a 2DoF gimbal, and connected to the spacecraft. At titude control is performed passively by gimbaling the central mast to offs et the center-of-mass to the center-of-pressure generating an external torq ue due to solar radiation pressure, or actively using a cold-gas micro-thru ster system By proper, orientation of the sail towards the Sun during each orbit, the orbital energy can be increased, such that the solar sail spacec raft raises its orbit. After roughly 550 days a lunar polar flyby would be performed, or the sail might be used for orbit capture about the Moon. On-b oard cameras are foreseen to observe the sail deployment, and an additional science payload could provide remote sensing data of the Earth and also of previously not very well explored lunar areas. (C) 1999 Published by Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.