Catch the Light, Reach the Stars

Commencing spin-deployment of the solar sail
The spacecraft, now in a stable orbit, will initiate its sail deployment sequence. This can be done either by deploying 4 rigid booms that help unfold the sail, or by a so-called spin deployment. For a spin deployment (as used by Gama Alpha), the spacecraft initiates a controlled rotation. This rotational maneuver is critical, to generate centrifugal force that will be necessary to deploy the sail. Attached to the central hub, the sail, constructed from ultra-thin, high-strength reflective material, is meticulously folded. As the spin rate increases, lightweight composite booms extend outwards. These booms unfurl the sail to its full, expansive configuration. The sail is now fully deployed, ready to capture photons.

Increasing speed of the spacecraft
The large reflective surface of the solar sail is used as propulsion to carry a payload. When photons hit the surface, despite having no mass, they impart momentum to the entire vehicle. In the void of space, there is no resistance as there is on Earth, allowing a solar sail to continuously accelerate and achieve unimaginable speeds. By tilting the mirror, it is possible to navigate in different directions and steer the vehicle through the solar system. Clean, sustainable, and virtually limitless.

Into the unknown
With sunlight as its engine, the solar sail has built up enough speed to embark on missions to generate scientific and commercial value. Through uniquely high speeds, and independency from propellant, solar sail sailing can be used for a variety of missions, for instance, solar weather monitoring at a Lagrange point, scouting of NEA (Near-Earth-Asteroids), or guiding decision-making for future missions landing sites.