NanoSail-D2

Chronology

NanoSail-D2 was originally built as a ground spare for the NanoSail-D satellite, which was launched aboard a Falcon 1 in 2008, and was subsequently lost when the launch vehicle malfunctioned during stage separation. Over the next two years improvements were made to the spare, and the satellite was incorporated into the FASTSAT mission. The mission objectives for NanoSail-D2 were to demonstrate sail deployment with the Triangular Rollable and Collapsible boom and de-orbit capability. The deployment was successfully demonstrated. The sail was not used for propulsion of the satellite.

NanoSail-D2 was launched aboard a Minotaur IV / HAPS launch vehicle, inside the FASTSAT satellite. FASTSAT was a secondary payload on the launch, with the primary payload being STPSat-2. The launch also carried RAX, O/OREOS, FalconSat-5, and the two FASTRAC satellites; Sara-Lily and Emma. The Minotaur was launched from Launch Pad 1 of the Kodiak Launch Complex at 01:25 UTC on 20 November 2010. Orbital Sciences Corporation conducted the launch under a contract with the United States Air Force.

FASTSAT was deployed into a low Earth orbit with a circular orbit of 650 km of altitude and 72° of inclination. NanoSail-D2 was expected to separate from FASTSAT on 6 December 2010, but the bay door did not open, preventing its ejection. Successful ejection was confirmed on 19 January 2011; it is unclear what caused the ejection mechanism to fail and then ultimately release at this later date. NASA requested amateur radio operators listen for the beacon signal from NanoSail-D. They did and picked up the 1-second beacon transmissions which were transmitted every 10 seconds. While battery power was soon exhausted, as predicted by the principal investigator, Dean Alhorn, the spacecraft was expected to sail on in low-Earth orbit for 70 to 120 days, depending on atmospheric conditions, before it burnt up, and to become easier to view after the atmosphere stabilized its tumbling.

To generate publicity and to encourage observations while the sail was still in orbit, NASA and Spaceweather.com announced a photography competition with a grand prize of US$500 to capture images of the solar sail in orbit.

On 17 September 2011, the solar sail re-entered the atmosphere after 240 days in orbit, though this was only announced on 29 November 2011.

References

References

1. "NASA's Nanosail-D 'Sails' Home -- Mission Complete".
2. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Report.
3. "NanoSail D". Gunter's Space Page.
4. (17 August 2010). "Sailing Among the Stars". NASA.
5. "NASA’s Next Solar Sail: Lessons from NanoSail – D2".
6. McDowell, Jonathan. "Issue 635". Jonathan's Space Report.
7. "NanoSail-D Dashboard". Santa Clara University.
8. "NASA - NanoSail-D Ejects: NASA Seeks Amateur Radio Operators' Aid to Listen for Beacon Signal".
9. (21 January 2011). "Success! NanoSail-D Deploys".
10. Stephen Clark. (22 January 2011). "NASA's first solar sail makes unlikely comeback in orbit". Spaceflight Now.
11. "NASA's First Solar Sail NanoSail-D Deploys in Low-Earth Orbit".
12. "NanoSail D".