SOLSTICE Test Program

L.Garde proposes the SOLSTICE test program to advance the Technology and Manufacturing Readiness Level (TRL & MRL) of its vectored solar sailcraft from 4 to 6 to provide a commercially viable solution to NOAA’s unmet requirements for solar wind data from 0.98AU to enable advanced solar storm warning. This test program advances the current NOAA/Aerospace Space Weather study with L.Garde to design the SOLSTICE vehicle and mission to sub-L1. During the proposed 6-month period of performance the L.Garde led team will build a full scale engineering test unit of the SOLSTICE vehicle based on the current study design for ground deployment testing and to serve as a manufacturing pathfinder for the subsequent commercial flight program. The SOLSTICE vehicle is capable of achieving and maintaining this duty station for a minimum 5-year mission. As a cost-effective platform, SOLSTICE expands upon NOAA’s Uncrewed Systems Strategy of collecting critical and time sensitive data from terrestrial aircraft and maritime systems by placing a UxS able to provide a new commercial solar wind data source at the edge of cislunar space.