Could Tiny Solar Sails Become the Future of Space Travel?

Cornell students have successfully tested tiny solar sails in orbit using miniature ChipSats and 3D-printed spacecraft. Their Alpha CubeSat and Sailing to the Stars missions demonstrated how sunlight can propel ultra-light spacecraft, while testing low-cost navigation and deployment technologies.

Could these tiny sails become a stepping stone toward future missions across the solar system—and eventually interstellar space?

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