Space satellite in the solar sail will start today for the first test flight

LightSail - this is the first spacecraft in the solar sail designed by a group of engineers from different companies into one united team of engineers and actor Bill Nye.
Today will be launched the first test satellite, which will not disclose the sail, but simply make a few turns in orbit. Running is necessary in order to ensure communication systems, etc.

The satellite will be launched by a rocket Atlas-5 that will orbit satellite for US Air force OTV-4 and 10 cube-sat satellites

A live webcast of the launch is available here , the launch itself today: the first launch window 11: 05-11: 15 am EDT / 15:05 - 15 : 15 GMT, December 2: 42-12: 52 pm EDT / 16: 42-16: 52 GMT

Notable is the fact that now there is an extremely successful компания Fundraising the final run.

The principle of operation of spacecraft on the solar sail, as well as details of the mission, you can peek in this video


Ten years ago, it has made an attempt to start the vehicle with a solar sail: developed by NPO. Lavochkin by order of the same machine Planetary Society Cosmos-1 was launched from a Russian submarine "Borisoglebsk" in the Barents Sea, but unfortunately, the missile fell into the sea and drowned. At this time, the final launch will produce SpaceX.

We wish them good luck!





Source: geektimes.ru/post/250712/