Title :
The Gossamer Initiative
Author :
Chmielewski, Artur B. ; Moore, Chris ; Howard, Rick
Author_Institution :
Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA
Abstract :
The Gossamer Spacecraft Initiative is a new NASA program to begin long-range development of enabling technologies for very large, ultra-lightweight structures and apertures. Large apertures include optical, infrared and submillimeter telescopes, “photon buckets” for optical communications and “non-coherent” imaging, solar concentrators, and radio frequency antennas. Developments in large ultra-light structures will be focused on one of their most challenging applications-solar sails. Sail structures will include both 3-axis stabilized and spinning. Gossamer spacecraft technology will eventually allow NASA to undertake bold new missions of discovery, such as searching for the signs of life on planets orbiting nearby stars, and sailing through space on beams of light to places beyond our solar system
Keywords :
astronomical telescopes; solar absorber-convertors; space vehicles; Gossamer Spacecraft Initiative; NASA program; enabling technologies; large apertures; non-coherent imaging; optical communications; photon buckets; radio frequency antennas; solar concentrators; solar sails; spacecraft technology; telescopes; three-axis spinning structures; three-axis stabilized structures; ultra-lightweight structures; Aperture antennas; Infrared imaging; NASA; Optical fiber communication; Optical imaging; Radio frequency; Space technology; Space vehicles; Spinning; Telescopes;
Conference_Titel :
Aerospace Conference Proceedings, 2000 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Big Sky, MT
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5846-5
DOI :
10.1109/AERO.2000.879310
