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Changing orbits edit Sailing operations are simplest in interplanetary orbits, where altitude changes are done at low rates. For outward bound trajectories, the sail force vector is oriented forward of the Sun line, which increases orbital energy and angular momentum, resulting in the craft moving farther from the Sun. For inward trajectories, the sail force vector is oriented behind the Sun line, which decreases orbital energy and angular momentum, resulting in the craft moving in toward the Sun. It is worth noting that only the Sun's gravity pulls the craft toward the Sun—there is no analog to a sailboat's tacking to windward. To change orbital inclination, the force vector is turned out of the plane of the velocity vector. In orbits around planets or other bodies, the sail is oriented so that its force vector has a component along the velocity vector, either in the direction of motion for an outward spiral, or against the direction of motion for an inward spiral. Trajectory...

Attitude (orientation) control edit Both the Mariner 10 mission, which flew by the planets Mercury and Venus, and the MESSENGER mission to Mercury demonstrated the use of solar pressure as a method of attitude control in order to conserve attitude-control propellant. Hayabusa also used solar pressure on its solar paddles as a method of attitude control to compensate for broken reaction wheels and chemical thruster. MTSAT-1R (Multi-Functional Transport Satellite)'s solar sail counteracts the torque produced by sunlight pressure on the solar array. The trim tab on the solar array makes small adjustments to the torque balance. Ground deployment tests edit NASA has successfully tested deployment technologies on small scale sails in vacuum chambers. On February 4, 1993, the Znamya 2, a 20-meter wide aluminized-mylar reflector, was successfully deployed from the Russian Mir space station. Although the deployment succeeded, propulsion was not demonstrated. A second test, Znamya 2.5, faile...

Despite the losses of Cosmos 1 and NanoSail-D (which were due to failure of their launchers), scientists and engineers around the world remain encouraged and continue to work on solar sails. While most direct applications created so far intend to use the sails as inexpensive modes of cargo transport, some scientists are investigating the possibility of using solar sails as a means of transporting humans. This goal is strongly related to the management of very large (i.e. well above 1 km2) surfaces in space and the sail making advancements. Development of solar sails for manned space flight is still in its infancy. Sunjammer 2015 edit A technology demonstration sail craft, dubbed Sunjammer , was in development with the intent to prove the viability and value of sailing technology. Sunjammer had a square sail, 124 feet (38 meters) wide on each side (total area 13,000 sq ft or 1,208 sq m). It would have traveled from the Sun-Earth L 1 Lagrangian point 900,000 miles from Earth (1.5 mil...

A similar technology appeared in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode, Explorers. In the episode, Lightships are described as an ancient technology used by Bajorans to travel beyond their solar system by using light from the Bajoran sun and specially constructed sails to propel them through space ( "Explorers". Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Season 3. Episode 22. ). A space sail is used in the novel Planet of the Apes . In the Star Wars franchise, the character Count Dooku uses a solar sail.