QUOTE (dilo @ Aug 4 2006, 10:36 AM)
How the reflective wings are doployed? Inflatable tubes?
According to the document MIT CSR TR-69-1 "The conceptual design of a Small Solar Probe (Sunblazer)":
"Sail is fabricated with aluminized mylar which is stretched between two longerons of prestressed spring-steel tape and stiffened by a cross frame rod at the extremity"
"Sail storage is accomplished by winding the sail from its base toward the vertex on a 1 1/4 in diameter pipe. This action causes the longerons to form an overlapping, bifilar helix spring, which has sufficient stored energy to deploy a test sail to the flight position against a 1 g load"