We are pleased to provide comprehensive multimedia resources to support your LightSail reporting process. Please find and use the following resources in our digital media kit: current news, archived past news releases, biographies, video, high-resolution photography for print and online purposes, and background information.
In addition to these resources, interviews with Planetary Society spokespeople are available upon request. To schedule an interview, or to be added to our media mailing list, please contact our Communications Manager Danielle Gunn at danielle.gunn@planetary.org or +1-626-793-5100.
All press materials are provided by The Planetary Society, unless otherwise credited.
Press Releases/Media Alerts
The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 Named One of TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019 (November 21, 2019)
The Planetary Society is proud to announce their crowdfunded solar sailing spacecraft, LightSail 2, has been recognized as one of TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019.
LightSail 2 Spacecraft Successfully Demonstrates Flight by Light (July 31, 2019)
The Planetary Society's crowdfunded LightSail 2 spacecraft is successfully raising its orbit solely on the power of sunlight.
Media Advisory: LightSail 2 Successfully Deploys Solar Sail (July 24, 2019)
The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 spacecraft has successfully deployed the large, aluminized Mylar sail it will use to raise its orbit solely with sunlight.
Background Information
LightSail 2 with solar panels closed
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 with solar panels open
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 with solar sail deployed
The Planetary Society
The History of Solar Sailing
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 scale comparison (approximate)
Approximate size comparison of the LightSail 2 spacecraft with sails stowed and deployed.The Planetary Society
Bill Nye and the LightSail 2 mission team announce mission success and discuss this milestone during a press teleconference and Q&A session on 31 July 2019. Participants:
Bill Nye and the LightSail 2 mission team discuss the mission in depth during a press teleconference and Q&A session on 20 June 2019. Participants:
High-Resolution Photography for Print and Online Purposes
Image usage policy: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. For additional publication permissions, please contact us.
Click thumbnails to enlarge.
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 During Sail Deployment Sequence (Camera 1)
This image was taken during the LightSail 2 sail deployment sequence on 23 July 2019 at 11:49 PDT (18:49 UTC). The sail is almost fully deployed here and appears warped near the edges due to the spacecraft's 185-degree fisheye camera lens. The image has been color corrected and some of the distortion has been removed. The Sun is visible at center, and pieces of spectraline, which were used to hold LightSail 2's solar panels closed, can be seen at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock.
The Planetary Society / Data provided by NXTRAC
LightSail 2 Orbit Apogee and Perigee Since Launch
This chart shows LightSail 2’s orbit apogee and perigee since launch. From 26 July to 30 July, the spacecraft raised its orbital high point, or apogee, by about 2 kilometers. A PDF version of this chart is available.
Josh Spradling / The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 orbit raising
This animation shows how LightSail 2 raises its orbit by making two 90-degree turns each orbit. As the spacecraft approaches the Sun, it turns the sail edge-on to avoid getting pushed by solar photons. As it moves away from the Sun, it turns perpendicular to incoming sunlight, giving it a push that gradually raises its orbit.
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 During Sail Deployment Sequence (Camera 2)
This image was taken during the LightSail 2 sail deployment sequence on 23 July 2019 at 11:48 PDT (18:48 UTC). Baja California and Mexico are visible in the background. LightSail 2's dual 185-degree fisheye camera lenses can each capture more than half of the sail. This image has been de-distorted and color corrected.
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 Sail Deployment From Camera 1
View of the deployment of half of LightSail 2's square sail from Camera 1, which happened on 23 July 2019 at 18:47 UTC. The animation runs at about 100 times actual speed.
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 Sail Deployment From Camera 2
View of the deployment of half of LightSail 2's square sail from Camera 2, which happened on 23 July 2019 at 18:47 UTC. The animation runs at about 100 times actual speed.
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 Sail Deployment Thumbnails (Camera 1)
These images show the progression of LightSail 2’s solar sail deployment sequence, which began on 23 July 2019 at 18:47 UTC. They are all thumbnail images from Camera 1 with an original resolution of 120 by 90 pixels and have been de-distorted and color-corrected. The first 13 frames were taken at intervals of 10 seconds; the remaining ones at intervals of 30 seconds.
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 Sail Deployment Thumbnails (Camera 2)
These images show the progression of LightSail 2’s solar sail deployment sequence, which began on 23 July 2019 at 18:47 UTC. They are all thumbnail images from Camera 2 with an original resolution of 120 by 90 pixels and have been de-distorted and color-corrected. The first 13 frames were taken at intervals of 10 seconds; the remaining ones at intervals of 30 seconds.
LightSail 2 Mission Control
Cheers from Mission Control at CalPoly as LightSail 2 deploys its solar sails.
Navid Baraty / The Planetary Society
Crowd watching the launch of LightSail 2
The crowd watched in awe as LightSail 2 launched atop the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket during the STP-2 mission on 25 June 2019.
LightSail 2
The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 spacecraft sits on its deployment table following a successful day-in-the-life test at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on May 23, 2016.Jason Davis / The Planetary Society
Posing for LightSail’s camera
Bill Nye and the LightSail 2 team pose for a picture using the spacecraft’s camera.Jason Davis / The Planetary Society
Ready for deployment
Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society, waves to an overhead camera with digital editor Jason Davis. LightSail 2 sits on a deployment table behind Nye and Davis, moments before a sail deployment test.Jason Davis / The Planetary Society
LightSail 1 updated solar sail selfie
This image was captured by a camera aboard LightSail 1 on June 8, 2015, shortly after solar sail deployment. It was color-corrected by Dan Slater to remove the camera's artificial purplish tint based on ground test images, and is a closer approximation to what the human eye would see.The Planetary Society
LightSail 2
Artist's concept of LightSail 2 above Earth.Josh Spradling / The Planetary Society
Bill Nye
F. Scott Schafer
Bill Nye
F. Scott Schafer
Bill Nye
F. Scott Schafer
Bill Nye
F. Scott Schafer
Additional images available in the LightSail Media Gallery and in our Bruce Murray Space Image Library.
Videos for Broadcast and Online Reporting Purposes
Credit: The Planetary Society
Opening Solar Sails in Space
Cheer along with Bill Nye and the flight controllers as The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 spacecraft successfully deploys its solar sail in space.
A new way to travel space - with Bill Nye
Did you know there's a way for spacecraft to travel farther, faster, and maybe one day reach other stars? Bill Nye is here to teach you about the game-changing technology called solar sailing.
The Dream of Solar Sailing - LightSail 2
For centuries, people have dreamed of using solar sails to travel the cosmos. In 2019, The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 will help make that dream a reality by attempting the first, controlled solar sail flight in Earth orbit. The spacecraft was made possible thanks to the generous support of space enthusiasts from around the world.
LightSail 2 Animation
This animation details the piece by piece construction of the LightSail 2 spacecraft as well as its maneuvers in space.
The Planetary Society
LightSail 2 mission highlights
This video shows brief highlights from The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 mission.LightSail Then and Now
In 1976, Carl Sagan appeared on The Tonight Show to talk about a crazy new idea: solar sailing. Nearly 40 years later, The Planetary Society is realizing this dream with a new spacecraft called LightSail designed to propel through space on beams of sunlight.
High Resolution Video Files
Project Leaders
Interviews available upon request.
Bill Nye
Bill Nye isn't just the Science Guy—he's a Planetary Society charter member and has been The Planetary Society's CEO since 2010.Bruce Betts
Dr. Bruce Betts is The Planetary Society's chief scientist, and the program manager for LightSail 2.Jennifer Vaughn
Jennifer Vaughn is The Planetary Society's chief operating officer.Jason Davis
Jason Davis is the editorial director for The Planetary Society. He oversees and contributes to the Society's editorial content, including articles, stories, educational web pages, images, infographics, podcasts and videos.
Blog Updates on LightSail
LightSail 2 team completes key mission review and dress rehearsal
Jason Davis • July 26, 2018
The LightSail 2 team gathered in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a Mission Readiness Review (MRR) and Operational Readiness Test (ORT).
LightSail 2 launch slips to Fall
Jason Davis • May 11, 2018
The second flight of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket is now scheduled for no earlier than October 30, 2018.
Pew pew! Lasers will help determine where LightSail 2 is
Jason Davis • April 25, 2018
The International Laser Ranging Service, or ILRS, will lend its services to the LightSail 2 mission.
LightSail 2 doubles the fun with double integrations
Jason Davis • March 20, 2018
LightSail 2 is integrated in Prox-1! It's another important step toward launch day.
LightSail 2 launch update
Jason Davis • March 02, 2018
The Planetary Society's solar sailing CubeSat is scheduled to head to space during a 60-day period starting on June 13.
