Friday, May 7, 2010

Japan to Launch Solar-Sail-Powered Craft

This rendering provided by JAXA depicts what Ikaros 
might look like cruising the cosmos with its sail unfurled. JAXA

After lots of talk and testing, Japanese researchers are ready to go space sailing. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced its intention to launch its first "space yacht" propelled by solar sails into the heavens on May 18. Ikaros -- the Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation of the Sun -- will cruise through the solar system powered by solar particles that bounce of its giant, ultra-thin sails.

Source:   Popular Science  To read the full article click here.

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