Japan To Launch Solar Sail Spacecraft "Ikaros"

separsons writes "On May 18th, Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch Ikaros, a fuel-free spacecraft that relies completely on solar power. The spacecraft's 46-foot-wide sails are thinner than a human hair and lined with thin-film solar panels. After a rocket brings the craft to space, mission controllers on the ground will steer Ikaros by adjusting the sails' angles, ensuring optimal radiation is hitting the solar cells. If the mission proves successful, the $16M spacecraft will be the first solar sail-powered craft to enter deep space."

Icarus?

[Kelson]

It's always seemed like a bad idea to name anything after a figure whose claim to fame was that he ignored warnings against exceeding the tolerances of his vehicle, causing it to break up and kill him.

Re:Icarus?

[Gerafix]

To be fair the Japanese don't have to do metric/imperial conversions so they should be fine.

meh

[jt418-93]

the bjorans did this centuries ago :)
repeat

Coolness Factor and Project Name

[decipher_saint]

Very cool project, I can't wait to see this baby in action!

That said, someone already mentioned the project vehicle name, but we all know it should have been Odin: Photon Sailer Starlight.

I suddenly feel very nerdy, much more so than normal.

Preparation

[gmuslera]

In the case it or one of its successors are launched to another solar system, i suggest that it carry scaled down versions of the ninja turtles, so if some come back to this mote in god's eye will never figure how we really are.

Re:Where's it going?

[Fritz T. Coyote]

Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Climate Change, Wars, Plaques, vanishing bees and the possibility that George Lucas might make another movie? All of these are signs that the 4 Horseman are saddling up and getting ready for a ride.

So "away" is good enough for me.

Hopefully to a planet that was not colonized by the Golgafrincham B Ark.

Re:Icarus?

[srussia]

Talk about misnomer. This thing goes away from the Sun, not nearer it. Or maybe they meant post-wax-melt Icarus.

Re:Solar power in deepspace

[SnarfQuest]

They have a flashlight mounted under the solar sail to provide the becessary light when they get too far from the sun. That's why they need the solar panels, to provide power to the flashlight when it's too dark for the sail to work otherwise, which also powers the solar cells.

Re:Where's it going?

[SnarfQuest]

With a name like "Ikaros", it's obviously going to have a parabolic flight path.

Re:Coolness Factor and Project Name

[Yvan256]

I suddenly feel very nerdy, much more so than normal.

Are you suddenly speaking more fluently in Javascript or Klingon?

Tachyon Eddy

[wisnoskij]

Now all we have to do is find a tachyon eddy and we could be on Cardasia in no time.

Re:Icarus?

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't that Apple's new product?

Re:Icarus?

[wienerschnizzel]

Reminds me of the shock I experienced when I found that one of the biggest brand of condoms in the US is called 'Trojan'. It can either refer to the people of Troy that got totally pwned or to the Trojan Horse from which the guys got out once they were inside...