Ultra-light Boom Concept for Solar Sails

Propulsion of solar sails is strongly influenced by its own mass. It is therefore critical to minimize mass in order to maximize the sail's performance. The proposed innovation is a boom design that can be highly optimized so as to reduce redundant structural mass. The boom can be tailored along its length so that its failure load is a prescribed amount above actual load. Optimization of solar sail booms may result in significant mass reductions, which could in turn boost the mass budget of the ultra-thin sail films. This could in turn cause significant cost savings and risk reduction due to the fact that more material can be applied to the sail to make it more robust. Phase I will focus on mass and load study, sail and boom interface issues, and stowing configurations. In addition, a small proof-of-concept sample will be fabricated tested. Phase II will include more structural and deployment studies. In addition, a large deployable prototype will be fabricated and tested for load carrying capabilities, reliability, and durability.