Editing Solar sail (section)

===Deorbiting artificial satellites===
Small solar sails have been proposed to accelerate the deorbiting of small artificial satellites from Earth orbits.  Satellites in [[low Earth orbit]] can use a combination of solar pressure on the sail and increased atmospheric drag to accelerate satellite [[atmospheric entry|reentry]].<ref name=ps20131226/>  A de-orbit sail developed at [[Cranfield University]] is part of the UK satellite TechDemoSat-1, launched in 2014. The sail deployed at the end of the satellite's five-year useful life in May 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title = TechDemoSat-1 on-board camera captures drag sail deployment|url = https://www.sstl.co.uk/media-hub/latest-news/2019/techdemosat-1-on-board-camera-captures-drag-sail-deployment|access-date = 2022-11-10|archive-date = 2022-11-10|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221110230210/https://www.sstl.co.uk/media-hub/latest-news/2019/techdemosat-1-on-board-camera-captures-drag-sail-deployment|url-status = dead}}</ref> The sail's purpose is to bring the satellite out of orbit over a period of about 25 years.<ref>[https://interact.innovateuk.org/-/22-295-864-amazing-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-uk-s-newest-satellite "22,295,864 amazing things you need to know about the UK’s newest satellite"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208152650/https://interact.innovateuk.org/-/22-295-864-amazing-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-uk-s-newest-satellite |date=2015-12-08 }}. ''Innovate UK''.</ref> In July 2015 British 3U [[CubeSat]] called [[DeorbitSail]] was launched into space with the purpose of testing 16 m<sup>2</sup> deorbit structure,<ref>{{cite web|title = Mission|url = http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ssc/research/space_vehicle_control/deorbitsail/mission/index.htm|website = www.surrey.ac.uk|access-date = 2016-01-30|archive-date = 2016-03-04|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103911/http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ssc/research/space_vehicle_control/deorbitsail/mission/index.htm|url-status = dead}}</ref> but eventually it failed to deploy it.<ref>{{cite web|title = DeorbitSail Update and Initial Camera Image|url = http://amsat-uk.org/2015/11/13/deorbitsail-update-and-initial-camera-image/|website = AMSAT-UK|access-date = 2016-01-30|date = 2015-11-13}}</ref> A student 2U CubeSat mission called [[PW-Sat2]], launched in December 2018 and tested a 4 m<sup>2</sup> deorbit sail. It successfully deorbited in February 2021.<ref>{{cite web|title = PW-Sat2 gets 180 000 € to fund the launch|url = http://pw-sat.pl/en/2016/01/pw-sat2-gets-180-000-e/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160131013601/http://pw-sat.pl/en/2016/01/pw-sat2-gets-180-000-e/|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2016-01-31|website = PW-Sat2: Polish student satellite project|access-date = 2016-01-30|language = en-GB}}</ref> In June 2017, a second British 3U [[CubeSat]] called [[InflateSail]] deployed a 10 m<sup>2</sup> deorbit sail at an altitude of {{convert|500|km|mi|sp=us}}.<ref name="UoS2017">{{cite web|title=Surrey Space Centre celebrates successful operation of InflateSail satellite|url=https://www.surrey.ac.uk/mediacentre/press/2017/surrey-space-centre-celebrates-successful-operation-inflatesail-satellite|website=surrey.ac.uk|access-date=15 July 2017}}</ref>
In June 2017 the 3U Cubesat URSAMAIOR has been launched in [[low Earth orbit]] to test the deorbiting system ARTICA developed by [[Spacemind]].<ref>{{cite web|title = URSA MAIOR (QB50 IT02)|url = http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ursa-maior.htm|access-date = 2018-07-04}}</ref>  The device, which occupies only 0.4 U of the cubesat, shall deploy a sail of 2.1 m<sup>2</sup> to deorbit the satellite at the end of the operational life.<ref>{{cite web|title = ARTICA Spacemind|url = https://www.npcspacemind.com/in-space-now/|access-date = 2018-07-04}}</ref>