NanoSail-D satellite development. Fully deployed NanoSail-D satellite in blue lighting. The solar sail, with an area of 10 square metres, consists of
NanoSail-D satellite development. Fully deployed NanoSail-D satellite in blue lighting. The solar sail, with an area of 10 square metres, consists of four triangular membranes of ultra-thin CP-1 polymer supported by thin metal tape booms. This image was obtained on 18 June 2008. This NASA satellite was launched on 3 August 2008, but was lost due to rocket problems. An identical spare, the NanoSail-D2 was launched on 20 November 2010, and has been operating in low-Earth orbit since 20 January 2011. It was expected to burn up in the atmosphere within a few months, but the orbit is decaying slower then expected.
Size: 5156px × 3425px
Photo credit: © NASA/MSFC/D. HIGGINBOTHAM/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1, 2008, 21st, american, blue, boom, century, clean, cp-1, cubesat, delicate, deployed, experiment, experimental, june, light, lighting, membrane, nanosail, nanosail-, nanosail-d2, nasa, polymer, research, room, sail, satellite, single, solar, spacecraft, spaceflight, square, technological, technology, test, workshop
