Orbit and Attitude Performance of the LightSail 2 Solar Sail Spacecraft

Abstract

The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 satellite was launched June 25th, 2019, and has successfully demonstrated controlled solar sail propulsion using a CubeSat for the first time. This paper presents an assessment of the spacecraft's attitude determination and control performance along with the resulting changes in its orbit due to controlled solar propulsion. The results of on-orbit testing, important anomalies, and ongoing activities are also discussed. We conclude by offering lessons learned.