LightSail 2 has successfully deployed its solar sails. The Planetary Society tweeted that the sails were deployed and that the spacecraft was sailing with sunlight.
Lightsail 2 successfully deployed its sails in a moving moment for mankind.
- Planetary society’s tweeted the successful deployment of the sails on the Lightsail 2 mission shortly after 12:00 PM PST.
- The world’s largest non-profit space organisation, Planetary Society’s Lightsail 2 was launched on 25 July and had been in orbit since.
- It has sent us some sweet pictures of our planet while in orbit.
- The sail-system onboard the Lightsail 2 is a system of 4 smaller, triangular sails. When all four are open, it forms one square.
- The sail has a surface area of 32 sq. meters or 340 sq. feet.
- When it was deployed, the sails raised the spacecraft’s orbit. This goes to truly show the power held in solar rays, i.e., photons.
- Since there is no obstacle to the spacecraft’s momentum in space, the photon hitting against the sail will constantly accelerate Lightsail 2 into deep space.
- New images from the spacecraft are awaited. Meanwhile, enjoy this gif from Planetary society.

