Student-led space missions have successfully deployed free-flying light sails from CubeSats in low Earth orbit. These experiments, conducted by students at Cornell University’s Space Systems Design Studio (SSDS), involved light sails slightly larger than a pizza box. These sails use the momentum of photons—particles of light—to achieve high velocities. The sails are equipped with ChipSats, which are tiny, gram-scale spacecraft about the size of a person’s palm. These ChipSats handle all communication and steering functions, offering a much lighter and more cost-effective solution compared to traditional spacecraft. The sails are folded like origami to fit inside the CubeSats for launch and then separate once deployed, making them significantly smaller and lighter than conventional solar sails. Two experiments—Alpha CubeSat and Sailing to the Stars—were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in late 2025. Alpha, a 1U CubeSat, deployed a light sail in low Earth orbit. Through the TinyGS network, amateur radio operators worldwide were able to communicate with the ChipSat aboard the CubeSat before the sail eventually fell back to Earth due to atmospheric drag. "This is the first time a spacecraft this small has transmitted complete data packets from orbit to the ground," said Joshua Umansky-Castro, the mission lead and a recent aerospace engineering Ph.D. graduate from Cornell University. He described the achievement as a major milestone for the development of ChipSat technology. In the months following the launch, until the CubeSat deorbited in May 2026, the mission confirmed a successful deployment and tested several secondary technologies. These included a magnetorquer-only spin-stabilization algorithm, all commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) avionics, including the first-ever flight of a RockBLOCK Iridium modem, a fully 3D-printed chassis, and the first holographic image message plaques sent to space. These innovations highlight the potential for cost-effective, lightweight spacecraft design. Sailing to the Stars, the second experiment, was a companion ISS mission that tested the deployment of six light sails in the microgravity environment of the space station. The experiment captured important video footage and inertial measurement unit (IMU) data to help students understand the dynamics of light-sail deployment. Two different CubeSat-scale deployer designs were tested—both 3D-printed using modular "CubeSat-LEGO" components and spin-stabilized with laptop hard-disk-drive reaction wheels. The deployers were controlled using TV remote controls to determine which mechanism provided more stable movement. The results from this experiment will influence the design of future space missions. The light-sail missions were entirely designed, built, and tested by students. The original idea for Alpha came from a high school student as part of the Museum of Science Fiction's International CubeSat Design Competition. Since 2016, more than 150 students have contributed to these projects, with over half of them going on to work in the aerospace industry after graduation. Verena Padres, manager of the Sailing to the Stars project, said, "Going into college, it was my dream to work on something that would fly in space. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to not only gain hands-on spacecraft engineering experience but also lead the team from mission concept through launch!" Both experiments achieved all their major goals, setting the stage for future missions that could use ChipSat-sails for steering, orbit-raising, and even exploring the moon, Mars, and beyond. The ultimate goal is interstellar travel, a vision supported by initiatives like Breakthrough Starshot. These programs aim to use laser propulsion to send tiny spacecraft to nearby star systems in the search for life beyond our solar system.