ACS3

Light carries momentum. When photons strike and reflect from a shiny sail, they transfer a tiny amount of momentum to the spacecraft. The force is extremely small, but it acts continuously while sunlight reaches the sail.

Light carries momentum. When photons strike and reflect from a shiny sail, they transfer a tiny amount of momentum to the spacecraft. The force is extremely small, but it acts continuously while sunlight reaches the sail.

Solar sailing does not push against air and is not powered by solar wind. It uses radiation pressure from light. By changing the sail's angle relative to the Sun, operators can change the direction of the force and gradually alter the orbit.

ACS3's primary technology is its deployable composite-boom system. Flexible polymer and carbon-fiber booms can be flattened and rolled compactly for launch, then extend to support a structure far larger than the CubeSat that carried it.

NASA reports that the fully deployed sail covers about 80 square meters (860 square feet). Its large reflective area can make it visible from Earth when its orientation and lighting geometry are favorable.

TransitSatellite's altitude, speed and period values are calculated from the current two-line element set. They will change as the orbit evolves and should not be treated as fixed mission specifications.

The current public orbital catalog identifies this object, but verified mission-specific information may be limited. TransitSatellite will expand this page when authoritative information is available.

• Light carries momentum. When photons strike and reflect from a shiny sail, they transfer a tiny amount of momentum to the spacecraft. The force is extremely small, but it acts continuously while sunlight reaches the sail.
• Solar sailing does not push against air and is not powered by solar wind. It uses radiation pressure from light. By changing the sail's angle relative to the Sun, operators can change the direction of the force and gradually alter the orbit.
• ACS3's primary technology is its deployable composite-boom system. Flexible polymer and carbon-fiber booms can be flattened and rolled compactly for launch, then extend to support a structure far larger than the CubeSat that carried it.
• NASA reports that the fully deployed sail covers about 80 square meters (860 square feet). Its large reflective area can make it visible from Earth when its orientation and lighting geometry are favorable.
• TransitSatellite's altitude, speed and period values are calculated from the current two-line element set. They will change as the orbit evolves and should not be treated as fixed mission specifications.

Light carries momentum. When photons strike and reflect from a shiny sail, they transfer a tiny amount of momentum to the spacecraft. The force is extremely small, but it acts continuously while sunlight reaches the sail. Solar sailing does not push against air and is not powered by solar wind. It uses radiation pressure from light. By changing the sail's angle relative to the Sun, operators can change the direction of the force and gradually alter the orbit. ACS3's primary technology is its deployable composite-boom system. Flexible polymer and carbon-fiber booms can be flattened and rolled compactly for launch, then extend to support a structure far larger than the CubeSat that carried it. NASA reports that the fully deployed sail covers about 80 square meters (860 square feet). Its large reflective area can make it visible from Earth when its orientation and lighting geometry are favorable. TransitSatellite's altitude, speed and period values are calculated from the current two-line element set. They will change as the orbit evolves and should not be treated as fixed mission specifications.

The current two-line element set reports approximately 13.977 revolutions per day. Dividing 1,440 minutes by that value gives an estimated orbital period of 103 minutes.

ACS3 launched on 23 April 2024 aboard Rocket Lab's Electron from Launch Complex 1 in Māhia, New Zealand, as part of the Beginning of the Swarm mission. After spacecraft checkout, mission controllers commanded the composite booms to extend and unfurl the sail. NASA announced successful deployment in August 2024 and began evaluating the boom and sail performance for future missions.

Low Earth orbit is the region closest to Earth used by most crewed spacecraft, many science missions, Earth-observation satellites, and large constellations. Objects move quickly and commonly complete an orbit in roughly 90 to 130 minutes.

LEO can provide detailed Earth views, lower communications delay, and easier access than higher orbits, but it covers less area per spacecraft and is more affected by atmospheric drag.

• What can an orbit tell us before the mission is fully identified?
• Why are stable catalog identifiers important?

Current identity and orbital elements come from CelesTrak’s public GP data. Calculated orbit values are derived from the current TLE and may change after catalog updates. Mission-history claims are added separately and require authoritative sources.

• CelesTrak NORAD GP Element Sets
• Advanced Composite Solar Sail System · NASA
• It's Launch Day for NASA's New Solar Sail Mission · NASA
• NASA Composite Booms Deploy, Mission Sets Sail in Space · NASA