Re: Solars sails set sailing in space

From: Hans (nospam_at_nospam.se)
Date: 08/19/04 

To: sci-space-tech@moderators.isc.org
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2004 11:26:22 +0200

"Michael Smith" <smithm@SPAMBLOCKnetapps.com.au.retro.com> wrote in message
news:20040814044403.219d35cf@server.office...
> On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 15:56:27 GMT
> habshi@anony.net (habshi) wrote:
>
> Considering the potential and simplicity of solar sails I am a bit
surprised that this test is about all that is happening in the field.
>

Well - the major event will be the hopefully soon launched Cosmos 1, which
is a real spacecraft propelled by a solar sail. In addition to testing it
with sun light, they will test with a powerful ground based laser. Last I
heard, it's going up in 2005.

see: http://planetary.org/solarsail/index2.html