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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Rulers in space! LightSail 2 equipped with boom fiducials
How will we tell if LightSail 2's booms are fully deployed? With fiducials—visual reference guides that feature our signature Planetary Society logo.
Meet LightSail 2, The Planetary Society's new solar sailing CubeSat
The Planetary Society's solar sailing CubeSat has a new designation: LightSail 2. To celebrate the name change, we're releasing a new video showing footage from a late January sail deployment at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
First Look: Newest LightSail Spacecraft Unfurls Solar Sails
The Planetary Society's LightSail spacecraft successfully deployed its solar sails Thursday, wrapping up an initial round of system-level tests to prepare the CubeSat for flight.
Upgraded LightSail Software Completes First Round of Flight Testing
LightSail has completed its first round of flight testing. The spacecraft is now armed with new software that will transmit almost three times as much health and status data back to Earth than it did during last year's test flight.
LightSail Program Wraps Busy Year with Test Readiness Review
On Monday, LightSail engineers and mission managers met at The Planetary Society's Pasadena, California headquarters to prepare for a rigorous suite of spacecraft tests that are expected to begin in January.
In Pictures: LightSail Cameras Prepped for Flight
LightSail's flight cameras are being prepped for installation after receiving a software upgrade and checkout from their manufacturer.
LightSail Deployer Passes Prox-1 Fit Check
At Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo engineers loaded a P-POD replica into the partially assembled frame of the Prox-1 spacecraft. The meetup was a fit check to make sure the two pieces of hardware fit together as designed.
LightSail and Prox-1 Start Testing and Integration Process
On opposite sides of the United States, teams are starting the testing process to prepare two spacecraft for a one-of-a-kind in-space rendezvous.
LightSail Gets Backup Burn Wire for 2016 Mission
LightSail's burn wire, the mission-critical component responsible for releasing the spacecraft's solar panels, will get a backup ahead of next year's solar sailing mission.
How to Download Weather Satellite Images from Space
For less than $50, you can download images from NOAA satellites using your laptop and a small radio antenna.
LightSail Lands New Hardware for Laser Ranging
A cluster of small mirrors will be added to LightSail's aft hull to allow engineers to precisely track its position as it sails around the planet next year.
LightSail Nominated for SmallSat Mission of the Year
The Planetary Society’s LightSail spacecraft has been nominated for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Small Satellite Technical Committee Mission of the Year 2015 award.
LightSail Workshop Recaps Lessons Learned from Test Mission
The LightSail team held a workshop in Pasadena to discuss lessons learned from the test mission and plan for the second flight in 2016.
LightSail Project Manager Passes Torch
LightSail project manager Doug Stetson, who helped bring the program from a storage shelf to low-Earth orbit, is passing the torch.
Thank You, LightSail Trackers
A thank-you to all the space enthusiasts who helped track LightSail during its 25-day test mission.
LightSail Test Mission Ends with Fiery Reentry
The LightSail test mission is officially over. Following a 25-day stay in low-Earth orbit, the spacecraft tumbled back into Earth’s atmosphere Sunday afternoon.
Tonight I Glimpsed LightSail
Tonight, for the first time, I glimpsed our spacecraft with my own eyes. It was just the faintest pinprick against the bright lights of the big city. But, there it was right on time and exactly per the coordinates.
In Pictures: LightSail’s Final Days in Space
LightSail’s brief stay in orbit is almost over. Here are a few photos and videos of the spacecraft from observers around the world.
Pretty (Partial) Picture: LightSail Catches a Glimpse of Earth
With the team still trying to download an image from LightSail's second camera, Emily Lakdawalla processed a partial image from the first camera that contains a slice of Earth.
LightSail Test Mission Declared Success; First Image Complete
The Planetary Society’s LightSail test mission successfully completed its primary objective of deploying a solar sail in low-Earth orbit.