May 20 in the space launch vehicle with a solar sail

In 1976, the famous physicist and astronomer and popularizer of science Carl Sagan appeared on the show «The Tonight Show» to explain the new method of movement in space. Sagan then explained (video show - under the cut) that the spacecraft with a solar sail can move under the influence of sunlight, about the same as the sailboat moves through the water by the wind (it should clarify that we are talking here about the sun, photons instead of "solar wind" that can be used to propel the ship with electric "sail»).

So, now, forty years later, it is planned to conduct immediate testing of the spacecraft with a solar "sail". The project is the brainchild of the organization LightSail The Planetary Society - non-profit association, which was founded by Sagan and other famous scientists. Who is the head of the company, Bill Nye. The launch is scheduled for May 20, and the test run is to demonstrate the advantages of "solar sails" and the spacecraft, using a method of travel, in front of chemical fuel rockets.

This is not the first device to launch a solar sail. Thus, in 2010 the Japanese unit was launched IKAROS, and in 2011 the agency NASA successfully launched a solar sail project NanoSail-D.



The device consists of two parts - the four three-cornered sail Mylar, that will drive the machine under the influence of sunlight, and the apparatus itself - a small satellite CubeSat. Naturally, the space unit no sun's rays will not start to move beyond the Earth's atmosphere will be used rocket Atlas V, the system developed by the United Launch Alliance, standing behind Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The final version of the device will also work with other satellites, Prox-1, and displayed in the space of the Falcon Heavy SpaceX.

The first flight of the satellite was scheduled for May 6, but the launch was postponed, I doubt that the satellite could successfully dissolve sail. Now the launch will take place on May 20. If all goes well, the second launch will take place in April next year.



The cost of developing LightSail-1 is 1, 8 million dollars, and the entire project is estimated at 4, $ 5 million. In principle, this is very little compared to other spacecraft.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/250140/