Editing Solar sail (section)

==Projects operating or completed==

===Attitude (orientation) control===
Both the [[Mariner 10]] mission, which flew by the planets [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]] and [[Venus]], and the [[MESSENGER]] mission to Mercury demonstrated the use of solar pressure as a method of [[Spacecraft attitude control|attitude control]] in order to conserve attitude-control propellant.

[[Hayabusa (spacecraft)|Hayabusa]] also used solar pressure on its solar paddles as a method of attitude control to compensate for broken [[reaction wheel]]s 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===
NASA has successfully tested deployment technologies on small scale sails in vacuum chambers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/roboticexplorers/solar_sails.html|title=NASA - Solar Sails Could Send Spacecraft 'Sailing' Through Space|website=www.nasa.gov|access-date=2019-07-22|archive-date=2016-11-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115114138/http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/roboticexplorers/solar_sails.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1999, a full-scale deployment of a solar sail was tested on the ground at DLR/ESA in Cologne.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet98/LEIPOLD.pdf|title=Full-scale deployment test of the DLR/ESA Solar Sail|year=1999}}</ref>

===Suborbital tests ===

[[Cosmos 1]], a joint private project between [[Planetary Society]], [[Cosmos Studios]] and [[Russian Academy of Science]] attempted to launch a suborbital prototype vehicle in 2005, which was destroyed due to a rocket failure.

A 15-meter-diameter solar sail (SSP, solar sail sub payload, ''soraseiru sabupeiro-do'') was launched together with [[ASTRO-F]] on a [[M-V]] rocket on February 21, 2006, and made it to orbit. It deployed from the stage, but opened incompletely.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ssp.htm |title=SSSat 1, 2 |publisher=Space.skyrocket.de |access-date=2011-01-18}}</ref>

On August 9, 2004, the Japanese [[Institute of Space and Astronautical Science|ISAS]] successfully deployed two prototype solar sails from a sounding rocket. A clover-shaped sail was deployed at 122&nbsp;km altitude and a fan-shaped sail was deployed at 169&nbsp;km altitude. Both sails used 7.5-[[micrometre|micrometer]] film. The experiment purely tested the deployment mechanisms, not propulsion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.planetary.org/news/2004/0810_Japanese_Researchers_Successfully_Test.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203030741/http://www.planetary.org/news/2004/0810_Japanese_Researchers_Successfully_Test.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-02-03 |title=Cosmos 1 - Solar Sail (2004) Japanese Researchers Successfully Test Unfurling of Solar Sail on Rocket Flight |year=2004 }}</ref>

===Znamya 2===
[[File:Znamya-2.jpg|thumb|Znamya-2 (Знамя-2) after its deployment]]
On February 4, 1993, the [[Znamya (space mirror)#Znamya 2|Znamya 2]], a 20-meter wide aluminized-mylar reflector, was successfully deployed from the Russian [[Mir]] space station. It was the first thin film reflector of such type successfully deployed in space using the mechanism based on centrifugal force.<ref name="«folger»">Tim Folger, «New moon — Russian satellite acts as a mirror to light remote areas» ''Discover'', Jan, 1994 ([http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_n1_v15/ai_14898893 web version] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920035018/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_n1_v15/ai_14898893}}, (accessed 2008 August 29)).</ref> Although the deployment succeeded, propulsion was not demonstrated. A second test in 1999, [[Znamya (space mirror)#Znamya 2.5|Znamya 2.5]], failed to deploy properly.

===IKAROS 2010===
{{Main|IKAROS}}
[[File:IKAROS IAC 2010.jpg|thumb|220px|The model of IKAROS at the 61st [[International Astronautical Congress]] in 2010]]

On 21 May 2010, [[Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency]] (JAXA) launched the [[world]]'s first [[Interplanetary spaceflight|interplanetary]] solar sail [[spacecraft]] "[[IKAROS]]" (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) to Venus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/e/activity/ikaros.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922170700/http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/e/activity/ikaros.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-09-22 |title=IKAROS Project｜JAXA Space Exploration Center |publisher=Jspec.jaxa.jp |date=2010-05-21 |access-date=2011-01-18 }}</ref> Using a new solar-photon propulsion method,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c4vJpFCs1kQC&pg=PA308|title=Protection of Materials and Structures From the Space Environment|first1=Jacob|last1=Kleiman|first2=Masahito|last2=Tagawa|first3=Yugo|last3=Kimoto|date=22 September 2012|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|via=Google Books|isbn=9783642302299}}</ref> it was the first true solar sail spacecraft fully propelled by sunlight,<ref>[https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20627603-800-maiden-voyage-for-first-true-space-sail/ Maiden voyage for first true space sail], ''[[New Scientist]]''</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jaExBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA169|title=Solar Sails: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel|first1=Giovanni|last1=Vulpetti|first2=Les|last2=Johnson|first3=Gregory L.|last3=Matloff|date=5 November 2014|publisher=Springer|via=Google Books|isbn=9781493909414}}</ref> and was the first spacecraft to succeed in solar sail flight.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9tP-CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA32|title=Human Spaceflight: From Mars to the Stars|first=Louis|last=Friedman|date=5 November 2015|publisher=University of Arizona Press|via=Google Books|isbn=9780816531462}}</ref>

JAXA successfully tested IKAROS in 2010. The goal was to deploy and control the sail and, for the first time, to determine the minute orbit perturbations caused by light pressure. Orbit determination was done by the nearby [[Akatsuki (spacecraft)|AKATSUKI probe]] from which IKAROS detached after both had been brought into a transfer orbit to Venus. The total effect over the six month flight was 100&nbsp;m/s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/forefront/2011/tsuda/index.shtml|title=Solar Sail Navigation Technology of IKAROS|last=Tsuda|first=Yuichi|year=2011|publisher=[[JAXA]]}}</ref>

Until 2010, no solar sails had been successfully used in space as primary propulsion systems. On 21 May 2010, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the IKAROS spacecraft, which deployed a 200 m<sup>2</sup> polyimide experimental solar sail on June 10.<ref name="jaxa.jp/press/2010/06/20100611_ikaros_e">{{cite web| title = Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator 'IKAROS' Successful Solar Sail Deployment | work = JAXA website press release | publisher = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency | date = 2010-06-11 | url = http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2010/06/20100611_ikaros_e.html | access-date = 2010-06-17}}</ref><ref name=Nature>{{Cite news| title=News briefing: 27 May 2010 | url=http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100526/full/465402a.html | work= NatureNEWS | date=26 May 2010 | access-date= 2 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Samantha Harvey | title=Solar System Exploration: Missions: By Target: Venus: Future: Akatsuki | url=http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?MCode=Akatsuki | publisher=NASA | date=21 May 2010 | access-date=2010-05-21 | archive-date=2010-05-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527210311/http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?MCode=Akatsuki | url-status=dead }}</ref> In July, the next phase for the demonstration of acceleration by radiation began. On 9 July 2010, it was verified that IKAROS collected radiation from the Sun and began photon acceleration by the orbit determination of IKAROS by range-and-range-rate (RARR) that is newly calculated in addition to the data of the relativization accelerating speed of IKAROS between IKAROS and the Earth that has been taken since before the Doppler effect was utilized.<ref name="http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2010/07/20100709_ikaros_j.html">{{cite web| title = About the confirmation of photon acceleration of "IKAROS" the small solar-sail demonstrating craft ('''There is not English press release yet''')| work = JAXA website press release | publisher = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency | date = 2010-07-09 | url = http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2010/07/20100709_ikaros_j.html| access-date = 2010-07-10 }}</ref> The data showed that IKAROS appears to have been solar-sailing since 3 June when it deployed the sail.

IKAROS has a diagonal spinning square sail 14×14 m (196 m<sup>2</sup>) made of a {{convert|adj=on|7.5|μm|mm}} thick sheet of [[polyimide]]. The polyimide sheet had a mass of about 10 grams per square metre.<!-- calculated from polyimide density 1430 kg/m^3 --> A thin-film solar array is embedded in the sail. Eight [[liquid crystal display|LCD]] panels are embedded in the sail, whose reflectance can be adjusted for [[Spacecraft attitude control|attitude control]].<ref name=jaxa20100311>{{cite web | title=Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator | url=http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/ikaros/index_e.html | publisher=JAXA | date=11 March 2010 | access-date=2010-05-07 | archive-date=2013-10-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030175323/http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/ikaros/index_e.html | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/e/activity/ikaros.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922170700/http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/e/activity/ikaros.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 September 2008 |title=IKAROS Project |year=2008 |publisher=JAXA |access-date=30 March 2010 }}</ref> IKAROS spent six months traveling to Venus, and then began a three-year journey to the far side of the Sun.<ref>{{cite magazine| last = McCurry | first = Justin | title = Space yacht Ikaros ready to cast off for far side of the Sun | magazine = The Guardian Weekly | date = 2010-05-17 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/may/17/space-yacht-ikaros-japan-venus | access-date = 2010-05-18 | location=London}}</ref>

===NanoSail-D 2010===
{{main|NanoSail-D2}}
[[File:Nano Sail D.jpg|right|thumb|A photo of the experimental solar sail, NanoSail-D.]]

A team from the NASA [[Marshall Space Flight Center]] (Marshall), along with a team from the NASA [[Ames Research Center]], developed a solar sail mission called NanoSail-D, which was lost in a launch failure aboard a [[Falcon 1]] rocket on 3 August 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5482|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080811134536/http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5482|url-status=dead|title=NASASpaceflight.com - SpaceX Falcon I FAILS during first stage flight|archive-date=August 11, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/26jun_nanosaild.htm?list1097511 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211221207/https://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/26jun_nanosaild.htm?list1097511 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-02-11 |title=NASA to Attempt Historic Solar Sail Deployment |publisher=NASA |date=2008-06-26 }}</ref> The second backup version, [[NanoSail-D2]], also sometimes called simply NanoSail-D,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/nanosail_chat2_prt.htm|title=NASA Chat: First Solar Sail Deploys in Low-Earth Orbit|date=2011-01-27|publisher=NASA|quote=Sometimes the satellite is called NanoSail-D and sometimes NanoSail-D2. ... Dean: The project is just NanoSail-D. NanoSail-D2 is the serial #2 version.|access-date=18 May 2012|archive-date=2012-06-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622134237/http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/nanosail_chat2_prt.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> was launched with [[FASTSAT]] on a [[Minotaur IV]] on November 19, 2010, becoming NASA's first solar sail deployed in low earth orbit. The objectives of the mission were to test sail deployment technologies, and to gather data about the use of solar sails as a simple, "passive" means of de-orbiting dead satellites and space debris.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2011/11-055.html|title=NASA - NASA's NanoSail-D Satellite Continues to Slowly De-Orbit Earth's Upper Atmosphere|website=www.nasa.gov|access-date=2012-01-04|archive-date=2012-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106051247/http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2011/11-055.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The NanoSail-D structure was made of aluminium and plastic, with the spacecraft massing less than {{convert |10|lb|kg}}. The sail has about {{convert|100|sqft|m2}} of light-catching surface. After some initial problems with deployment, the solar sail was deployed and over the course of its 240-day mission reportedly produced a "wealth of data" concerning the use of solar sails as passive deorbit devices.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/11-148.html|title=NASA - NASA's Nanosail-D 'Sails' Home -- Mission Complete|website=www.nasa.gov|access-date=2012-01-04|archive-date=2011-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201161645/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/11-148.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

[[NASA]] launched the second NanoSail-D unit stowed inside the FASTSAT satellite on the Minotaur IV on November 19, 2010. The ejection date from the FASTSAT microsatellite was planned for December 6, 2010, but deployment only occurred on January 20, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/nanosaild.html |title=NASA - NanoSail-D Home Page |publisher=Nasa.gov |date=2011-01-21 |access-date=2011-01-24 |archive-date=2008-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080707022615/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/nanosaild.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{update after|2012}}

===Planetary Society LightSail Projects===
{{main|LightSail}}

On June 21, 2005, a joint private project between [[Planetary Society]], [[Cosmos Studios]] and [[Russian Academy of Science]]  launched a prototype sail ''Cosmos 1''  from a submarine in the [[Barents Sea]], but the [[Volna]] rocket failed, and the spacecraft failed to reach orbit. They intended to use the sail to gradually raise the spacecraft to a higher Earth orbit over a mission duration of one month. The launch attempt sparked public interest according to Louis Friedman.<ref>{{cite web|last=Friedman|first=Louis|title=The Rise and Fall of Cosmos 1|url=http://sail.planetary.org/story-part-2.html|work=sail.planetary.org}}</ref> Despite the failed launch attempt of Cosmos 1, [[The Planetary Society]] received applause for their efforts from the space community and sparked a rekindled interest in solar sail technology.

On Carl Sagan's 75th birthday (November 9, 2009) the Planetary Society announced plans<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/science/space/10solar.html| title=Setting Sail Into Space, Propelled by Sunshine| last=Overbye| first=Dennis| work=The New York Times| date=November 9, 2009| quote=Planetary Society, ... the next three years, ... series of solar-sail spacecraft dubbed LightSails|access-date=18 May 2012}}</ref> to make three further attempts, dubbed [[LightSail#LightSail-1|LightSail-1]], [[LightSail#LightSail-2|-2]], and -3.<ref name="planetary">{{cite web|url=http://www.planetary.org/explore/projects/lightsail-solar-sailing/lightsail-mission-faq.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430105820/http://www.planetary.org/explore/projects/lightsail-solar-sailing/lightsail-mission-faq.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 April 2012 |title=LightSail Mission FAQ |publisher=[[The Planetary Society]] |access-date=18 May 2012 }}</ref> The new design will use a 32 m<sup>2</sup> Mylar sail, deployed in four triangular segments like NanoSail-D.<ref name="planetary"/> The launch configuration is a 3U [[CubeSat]] format, and as of 2015, it was scheduled as a secondary payload for a 2016 launch on the first [[SpaceX]] [[Falcon Heavy]] launch.<ref>{{cite AV media |last1=Nye| first1=Bill |title=Kickstart LightSail |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDBzRa9RzfM | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/kDBzRa9RzfM| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|time=3:20 |access-date=15 May 2015 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

"[[LightSail#LightSail-1|LightSail-1]]" was launched on 20 May 2015.<ref name="NBCNEWS">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/blastoff-x-37b-space-plane-lightsail-solar-sail-go-space-n361931|title=Blastoff! X-37B Space Plane and LightSail Solar Sail Go Into Orbit|website=NBC News|date=20 May 2015 }}</ref> The purpose of the test was to allow a full checkout of the satellite's systems in advance of LightSail-2.  Its deployment orbit was not high enough to escape Earth's atmospheric drag and demonstrate true solar sailing.

[[File:LightSail 2 with deployed solar sail.png|thumb|Deployed LightSail-2]]

"[[LightSail#LightSail-2|LightSail-2]]" was launched on 25 June 2019, and deployed into a much higher low Earth orbit. Its solar sails were deployed on 23 July 2019.<ref name="NYT-20190723">{{cite news |last=Stirone |first=Shannon |title=LightSail 2 Unfurls, Next Step Toward Space Travel by Solar Sail - The Planetary Society deployed LightSail 2, aiming to further demonstrate the potential of the technology for space propulsion. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/science/lightsail-solar-sail.html |date=July 23, 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=July 24, 2019 }}</ref> It reentered the atmosphere on 17 November 2022. LightSail-2 successfully demonstrated propulsion by solar sail.<ref>https://www.planetary.org/sci-tech/lightsail</ref>

===NEA Scout===
[[File:Near Earth Asteroid Scout.jpg|thumb|[[NEA Scout]] concept: a controllable [[CubeSat]] solar sail spacecraft]]
{{main|Near-Earth Asteroid Scout}}

The Near-Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout) was a mission jointly developed by [[NASA]]'s [[Marshall Space Flight Center]] (MSFC) and the [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] (JPL), consisting of a controllable low-cost [[CubeSat]] solar sail spacecraft capable of encountering [[near-Earth asteroid]]s (NEA).<ref>{{cite web |date=2015-10-30 |title=NEA Scout |url=https://www.nasa.gov/content/nea-scout |access-date=February 11, 2016 |publisher=NASA |archive-date=2017-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170523141323/https://www.nasa.gov/content/nea-scout/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Four {{cvt|7|m}} booms were to deploy, unfurling the {{cvt|83|m2}} aluminized polyimide solar sail.<ref name="McNutt">{{cite journal |last1=McNutt |first1=Leslie |last2=Castillo-Rogez |first2=Julie |date=2014 |title=Near-Earth Asteroid Scout |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20140012882.pdf |journal=NASA |publisher=American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics |access-date=2015-05-13}}</ref><ref name="Gunter2015">{{cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter Dirk |date=13 April 2015 |title=NEA-Scout |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/nea-scout.htm |access-date=2015-05-13}}</ref><ref name="Castillo">{{cite web |last1=Castillo-Rogez |first1=Julie |last2=Abell |first2=Paul |title=Near Earth Asteroid Scout Mission |url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/meetings/jul2014/presentations/0930_Thu_Castillo_NEAScout.pdf |access-date=2015-05-13 |work=NASA |publisher=Lunar and Planetary Institute}}</ref> In 2015, NASA announced it had selected NEA Scout to launch as one of several secondary payloads aboard [[Artemis 1]], the first flight of the agency's heavy-lift [[Space Launch System|SLS]] launch vehicle.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gebhardt |first=Chris |date=November 27, 2015 |title=NASA identifies secondary payloads for SLS's EM-1 mission |url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/11/nasa-identifies-secondary-payloads-sls-em-1/ |publisher=NASAspaceflight}}</ref> However, the craft was considered lost with the failure to establish communications shortly after launch in 2022.<ref name="Dickinson2022">{{cite news |last=Dickinson |first=David |date=6 December 2022 |title=Status Update: Artemis 1's SmallSat Missions |newspaper=Sky & Telescope |publisher=Sky&Telescope |url=https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/status-update-artemis-1s-smallsat-missions/ |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref>

===Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3)===
[[File:Advanced Composite Solar Sail System testing.jpg|thumb|Advanced Composite Solar Sail System testing]]
The NASA Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3)<ref>{{cite web|title=Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) - NASA|url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission/acs3/|access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref> is a technology demonstration of solar sail technology for future small spacecraft.<ref>{{cite web|title=Advanced Composite Solar Sail System|url=https://www.nasa.gov/smallspacecraft/what-is-acs3/|access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref> It was selected in 2019 by NASA's [[CubeSat#CubeSat_Launch_Initiative|CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI)]] to be launched as part of the [[Educational Launch of Nanosatellites|ELaNa]] program.<ref>{{cite web|title=ACS3|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/acs3.htm|access-date=8 April 2024}}</ref>

ACS3 consists of a 12U (unit)<ref name=cubesat-specs-rev13>1&nbsp;unit=10cm × 10cm × 11.35cm (3.94in × 3.94in × 4.47in) − {{Cite web|last=Mehrparvar|first=Arash |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5418c831e4b0fa4ecac1bacd/t/56e9b62337013b6c063a655a/1458157095454/cds_rev13_final2.pdf |title=CubeSat Design Specification| date = February 20, 2014 |access-date=27 October 2024 |website = The CubeSat Program, CalPoly SLO }}</ref> [[CubeSat]] small satellite (23 cm x 23 cm x 34 cm; 16 kg) that unfolds a quadratic {{convert|80|m2}} solar sail consisting of a [[polyethylene naphthalate]] film coated on one side with [[Aluminium|aluminum]] for reflectivity and on the other side with [[chromium]] to increase thermal emissivity. The sail is held by a novel unfolding system of four {{convert|7|m}} long [[Carbon-fiber reinforced polymer|carbon fiber reinforced polymer]] [[Boom (sailing)|booms]] that roll-up for storage. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wilkie |first=Keats |date=2021 |title=The NASA Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) Flight Demonstration: A Technology Pathfinder for Practical Smallsat Solar Sailing |url=https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/2021/all2021/146/ |journal=Small Satellite Conference 2021}}</ref>

ACS3 was launched on 23&nbsp;April 2024 on the [[Rocket Lab Electron|Electron]] "[[List of Electron launches#2024|Beginning Of The Swarm]]" mission. The ACS3 successfully made contact with ground stations following deployment in early May.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Exolaunch deploys NASA's ACS3 Satellite – SatNews |url=https://news.satnews.com/2024/05/02/exolaunch-deploys-nasas-acs3-satellite/ |access-date=2024-05-05 |website=news.satnews.com}}</ref> The solar sail was confirmed as successfully operational by mission operators on 29&nbsp;August 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-budget-pressures-create-opportunities-for-smallsats/ |title=NASA budget pressures create opportunities for smallsats |work=[[SpaceNews]] |date=6 August 2024 |access-date=7 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-29 |title=NASA Composite Booms Deploy, Mission Sets Sail in Space – Small Satellite Missions |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/smallsatellites/2024/08/29/nasa-composite-booms-deploy-mission-sets-sail-in-space/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |language=en-US}}</ref> 

On 25&nbsp;October 2024 it was reported "... a bent support arm has made it (ACS3) lose direction and spin out of control in space."<ref name="orbitaltoday-ACS3-spin">{{cite web |author1=Space Enthusiast |title=NASA's Largest-Ever Solar Sail Mission Spins Out Of Control In Deep Space |url=https://orbitaltoday.com/2024/10/25/nasas-largest-ever-solar-sail-mission-spins-out-of-control-in-deep-space/ |website=Orbital Today |access-date=27 October 2024 |language=en |date=25 October 2024}}</ref>