LightSail 2 Solar Sail Control and Orbit Evolution

Abstract

The propellantless thrust of solar sails makes them capable of entirely new classes of missions compared to conventional or electric engines. Initiated in 2010, the Planetary Society’s LightSail program sought to advance solar sail technology with the flights of LightSail 1 and 2. From launch in 2019 to deorbit in late 2022, LightSail 2 demonstrated the first controlled solar sailing in Earth’s orbit using a CubeSat. By adjusting the orientation of the sail relative to the sun twice per orbit, LightSail 2 controlled solar radiation pressure on the sail to offset losses in orbital energy from atmospheric drag. Previous papers analyzed early mission results to show the effect this had on reducing the spacecraft’s orbital decay rate. Subsequent refinements to the spacecraft’s attitude control made throughout the mission eventually enabled it to achieve sustained net increases in orbital energy. This paper presents an analysis of the orbit changes and attitude control performance over the entire mission. Methods of assessing and improving the sail control are described. Activities and attitude behavior during the final deorbit phase are also analyzed, with results relevant to future drag sails as well as solar sail missions.

Keywords

• LightSail
• solar sailing
• drag sail
• attitude control
• CubeSat
• small satellite