Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has developed a solar sail deployment device that can be applied to a spacecraft traveling with solar wind as its power source.
KARI noted that it successfully developed a prototype of the solar sail deployment device through its research on 'solar diffraction propulsion technology' that began in June last year.
The solar sail is a technology that allows a spacecraft to navigate in outer space for an extended period without fuel, using the principle of reflecting photons emitted by the sun off the sail, much like how a sailboat navigates using the wind.
The solar sail developed by KARI is larger than NASA's 9-meter solar sail 'ACS3,' with dimensions of 10 meters by 10 meters. It has a thickness of 12 micrometers, applying an aluminum-coated PET film material, making it very lightweight.
The solar sail deployment device is designed to store the solar sail and unfold it in outer space. It can fold sails of 10 meters by 10 meters down to within 20 centimeters in both dimensions, and it is made with a height of 31.4 centimeters and a weight of 10 kilograms, allowing it to be mounted on a 12U CubeSat.
KARI plans to use solar sail technology not only for deep space exploration but also to address the issue of space debris present in low Earth orbit. Lee Sang-cheol, director of KARI, said, "The solar sail deployment device developed with domestic technology will enhance our country's deep space exploration capabilities and will continue to research creative application areas that can be applied to various space activities."