SolarSURFER Development Crew

Our team will seek to pioneer the next generation of solar sailing technology, utilizing the prior innovations in solar sailing technology in conjunction with in-situ data from other solar sailing projects. SolarSURFER (Solar Sail Utilizing Radiative Forces Examining Radio-waves) is a joint Johns Hopkins University, Olin College of Engineering, and University of Maryland College Park Cube Satellite (CubeSat) that aims to explore technological advances in the realm of Solar Sailing. The mission is set to be built in a 6U form factor (30cm x 20cm x 10cm) with a 15m x 15m solar sail (compressed volume: 4U (20cm x 20cm x 10cm)) and the other flight dynamics and communications systems filling the other 2U. SolarSURFER will explore many new technologies to fulfill its mission requirements, including experimentation with sail composition, the utilization of the sail as a High Gain Antenna, and the integration of the science instruments with the shape memory allow powered booms of the sail, among other developments.