Method for aligning a spacecraft

Controlling the solar torque imposed on a spacecraft ( 10 ) in flight by providing a film ( 52 ) with variable absorptive, reflective, emissive and/or transmissive properties on the sun side of a thermal shield ( 50 ) of the spacecraft ( 10 ). As the orientation of the thermal shield ( 50 ) changes relative to the sun line, the absorptive, reflective, emissive and/or transmissive properties of the shield ( 50 ) change to cause the shield's ( 50 ) center of solar pressure to change, thus aligning it with the spacecraft ( 10 ) center of mass ( 24 ) as viewed from the direction of the sun line. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the spacecraft ( 100 ) is provided with a plurality of control vanes ( 110 - 116 ) that have a variable absorptive, transmissive, reflective and emissive property to maintain the spacecraft ( 100 ) stably pointed towards the sun.