Japan unfurls solar sail in space

[Jeffersons Ghost]

Japan unfurls Ikaros solar sail in space
By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News

Japanese scientists are celebrating the successful deployment of their solar sail, Ikaros. The 200-sq-m (2,100-sq-ft) membrane is attached to a small disc-shaped spacecraft that was put in orbit last month by an H-IIA rocket.

Ikaros will demonstrate the principle of using sunlight as a simple and efficient means of propulsion. The technique has long been touted as a way of moving spacecraft around the Solar System using no chemical fuels.

The mission team will be watching to see if Ikaros produces a measurable acceleration, and how well its systems are able to steer the craft through space.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10293284.stm

[pscot]

1. The Japanese are Leaving?!?!

Oh shit.

[DJ13]

2. Going home to planet Hello Kitty?

[Jeffersons Ghost]

10. good one! lol

[Oregone]

3. More for me

I have a feeling India and China will rebreed our global loss in a matter of hours

[Jeffersons Ghost]

6. yes, now that we're making everything in China instead of "made in Japan" they're leaving

[KittyWampus]

4. what a great idea.

[NewJeffCT]

5. Plus

it could have applications for solar power here on earth

[NoNothing]

7. How so?

Seems to me to be purely a space technology.

[NewJeffCT]

8. Just by advancing the technology overall

If you can power something with solar in space - maybe you can do it on earth, too.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

14. I agree but I know very little about the technology

[Statistical]

17. Um NO.

It isn't powering something by solar power (that has been around for decades) no it is PUSHING something by solar power.
Like wind in a sailboat sail except this propulsion is by the tiny force of individual photons from sunlight striking the sail.

Solar sails only work in a vacuum. On earth the resistance of air would more than offset any force generated by photons.
The force of sunlight on the sail is very minute. It doesn't work on earth (or anywhere outside of a vacuum and micro-gravity).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_sail

[Confusious]

18. No, it powers nothing

It is very thin mylar or similar material that is pushed by light pressure. It is strictly a propulsion idea.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

9. nice image too but it didn't go with the article. I found it online...

the one with the news article sucked.

[KittyWampus]

11. It's exquisite and I'm glad to have seen the mock-up. Would like to see RL pix.

Four Blade on the ground:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

12. nice pic! did you read the article and look at the image? it looked like modern art...

It lacked clear definition. it was a poor choice for media.

[KittyWampus]

13. this is very high on my reading list for tonight. LOVE this stuff. Especially with BP's Gulf crisis.

My own reflex is to look for something positive to keep myself sane. And it's interesting too.

I also want to see if anything has happened with Solar Paint.

I'd like to know if this can ever be replicated by backyard astronomer.

[lunatica]

15. Arthur C. Clarke talk about this kind of propulsion

He wrote The Wind From the Sun in 1963.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

16. nice post. thanks