Solar sails reflect photons streaming from the sun and convert siirne of the energy into thrust. This thrust, though small, iii continuous and acts for the life ofthe mission withrrut the need for propellant ('I. Rccent advances in sail mjiterials and ultra-luw mass structures have rnabled a host of urefiil mirrions utilizing solar :;ail propulsion. .The team of L'Garde, Jet Propulision Laboratories, Ball Aerospace, arid Langley Research Crnter, under the direction of NASA, has been developing a solar sail configuration to address NASA's tiihlre space propulsion needs. Utilizing inflatable deployed and Siih Tg rigidized hoom components, this sailcraft achieves an areal density of 14.1 s/m' a'nd a characteristic acceleration of 0.58 mrnls' The entirc configuration released by the upper s a g e has a mass of 232.9 kg and requires just 1.7 r d of volume in the booster. After deploynient, 92.2 kg of non-flight rcquircd equipment is jettisoned resulting in a sailcraft mass (with payload and coniiol system) of 140.7 kg. 'This document outlines the accomplislinieiits of a Phase I effort to advance the technology readiness level (TRL.) 01 the co!ncept from 3 townrd a TRL of 6. The P'lase I cffart, the first of tliree piripused phases, addrerised the: design of the solar sail, its application tcl several missions cumntly under review at NAS,A, and developed a ground test plan to bring the techrlology toward a TRL of 6. h=ct ion Early in the ]program:, with the support of NASA, solar sail niissions under consideration were rcseerched ;and a mission set of interest was developed Relevrint mission parameters and Copyright 200:; by L'Garde Inc. Piihlished by The American Institute of Aeronautics and A s t r o l l a~t i~~, lnc with permission ~-environs were identified and defined. These rcquirements were used to refine a solar sail design meeting and exceeding these requirements. This design includes all elements required for powagcncration, communications, and navigation. An equipment list WAS generated, components selected, and mass properties developed. To enhance the flight performance of the concept, a carrier concept was developed to jettison all non-essential

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