The LightSail test mission successfully completed its primary objective of deploying a solar sail in low-Earth orbit. During a ground station pass, the final pieces of an image showcasing LightSail’s deployed solar sails were received confirming the sails have unfurled, which was the final milestone of a mission designed to pave the way for a full solar sail flight next year.
The mission began with a launch from Cape Canaveral aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The spacecraft fought its way through software glitches, two signal losses and unexpected battery behavior before finally deploying its solar sails on June 7th.