Forgot your password?

Close
typodupeerror
Space

+ - Japan Successfully Deploys First Solar Sail Space->

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes "This morning Japanese space agency, JAXA, successfully unfurled a solar sail in space for the first time. Solar sails offer the best hope for deep space exploration because they eliminate the need to carry fuel. The Japanese spacecraft IKAROS created centrifugal force by spinning, allowing it to launch the .0003-inch-thick sail. While deployment is a challenge in a zero gravity environment, spacecraft — unlike airplanes — don’t have to contend with drag, so with each photon of light that hits the sail, the spacecraft could gather speed."
Link to Original Source
This discussion was created for logged-in users only, but now has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Japan Successfully Deploys First Solar Sail Space More

Japan Successfully Deploys First Solar Sail Space

Comments Filter:

Old timer, n.: One who remembers when charity was a virtue and not an organization.

Close