FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
01/21/2011
CONTACT:
Email: mat.kaplan@planetary.org
Phone: +1-626-793-5100
NASA has now confirmed that their NanoSail-D satellite has deployed its 100-square-foot sail in low-Earth orbit. The Planetary Society’s own solar sail project, LightSail-1, will soon be finished and ready for launch. Bill Nye, Executive Director of the Planetary Society, praised the NanoSail-D team on their achievement:
“Congratulations! Although NanoSail-D kept us waiting, we're very pleased that it has successfully deployed,” said Nye. “This could be the beginning of a fundamental improvement in how we de-orbit spacecraft."