|
 |
L‘Garde Programs - INFLATABLE ANTENNA EXPERIMENT
Team Encounter Solar Sail
The solar sail is a possible alternative to conventional fuels for interplanetary flight. It will power the Team Encounter interstellar mission
(Humanity's First Starship) in 2005, and Team Encounter's Earthview Flight in 2004 (a precursor to the interstellar mission).
The solar sail under development at L'Garde has undergone several successful tests:
November 4, 2002 – The 7.6 meter boom segment was tested in vacuum at NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia.
- See boom deployvideo (broadband needed)
- Download boom deploy video (2.8M)
February 14-15, 2002 – Cryrogenic deployment and structural tests on a 7.6 meter (25 foot) boom segment were conducted at L'Garde.
January 15, 2002 – Test of a triangular-shaped sail segment, measuring approximately 7 meters by 7 meters by 10 meters
(23 feet by 23 feet by 33 feet), was successfully deployed at L'Garde.
- See sail deploy video excerpt (broadband needed)
- Download sail deploy video excerpt (800K)
|
|
