Student-led missions deploy free-flying light sails from CubeSats in low Earth orbit
Students in Cornell's Space Systems Design Studio (SSDS) have released mission results for two unique light-sail experiments. These sails are slightly larger than a pizza box and harness momentum from photons to accelerate to high velocities. With ChipSats onboard—gram-scale spacecraft that fit in the palm of your hand—the sails can become free-flyers. They origami-fold into CubeSats for launch…
Students at Cornell University's Space Systems Design Studio (SSDS) have successfully deployed free-flying light sails from CubeSats in low Earth orbit. These sails, slightly larger than a pizza box, use momentum from photons to accelerate to high velocities. The experiments, named Alpha CubeSat and Sailing to the Stars, were launched to the International Space Station in late 2025 on NG-23 and Crew-11 missions.
The lighter and smaller ChipSats, which fit in the palm of your hand, provide ground communications and steering. The Alpha CubeSat experiment was the first to transmit complete data packets from orbit to the ground, using the amateur radio network TinyGS. The Sailing to the Stars experiment tested six light sails in microgravity, obtaining critical video footage and IMU data to improve light-sail deployment dynamics.
Both missions achieved their objectives, paving the way for future missions to demonstrate steering, orbit-raising, laser propulsion, and even interstellar travel to nearby star systems.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
