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Nathan Barnes, Principal Investigator
L'Garde Inc.

NASA has selected three Technology Demonstration Missions to transform space communications, deep space navigation and in-space propulsion.

The L'Garde Technology Demonstration Mission solar sail will have seven times the area (1200m^2) of the largest sail ever flown before in space.
At just over 70 pounds, this solar sail demonstrator will weigh 10 times less than the largest sail ever flown in space.
The L'Garde solar sail will produce a maximum thrust of approximately 0.01 newton, which is roughly equivalent to the weight of a "pink packet" of artificial sweetener.
This solar sail demonstrator is truly propellantless -- it will use control vanes for attitude control.

NASA Will Launch a 13,000-Square-Foot Solar Sail Next Year (Popular Science) →

01.31.13 - The largest solar sail the solar system has ever seen weighs only 70 pounds.
NASA to Launch World's Largest Solar Sail in 2014 (Space.com) →

01.31.13 - The largest solar sail ever constructed is headed for the launch pad in 2014.