The experimental solar sail of NASA is ready to launch into Earth’s orbit, using the pressure of sunlight to test a new method of propulsion through the cosmos. The launch of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23, aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from New Zealand. The mission will use composite booms in Earth orbit for the first time, testing their ability to deploy the sail in orbit. The rocket will deploy cubes the size of a microwave approximately 600 miles (966 kilometers) above Earth (more than double the altitude of the International Space … Continue reading NASA’s ACS3 Solar Sail Prepares for Mile-High Test Above ISS