One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail mission!

[RAMA]

http://media.causes.com/ribbon/799225

Starting small, but this could lead to big future developments for the human race and space travel.

RAMA

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail miss

30-56. 99 are correct. Limited four and eight are missing.

 

[BigFoot]

Re: One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail miss

I wonder if they can make the trip from Bajor to Cardassia Prime.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail miss

Their chief engineer is trying to deploy a makeshift solar sail. They have high hopes that this will, if successful, generate power, to keep them alive.

(hey, no one got my Tron quote, thought I'd go for something easier)

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

Re: One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail miss

(hey, no one got my Tron quote, thought I'd go for something easier)

Heck no, I got it, I wanted to storm in here and declare FIRRRRRST!!!! with a Tron reference

Now you've trumped me with the Voyage Home, all I can do is deliver the Death Star plans to Coruscant...

But to the OP, first of all I love the acronym from "Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation of the Sun", it makes it sound so elegant.

Secondly, its a fantastic future to think of, people travelling to Mars by sail.

 

[sojourner]

Re: One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail miss

Light sails accelerate too slowly for a such a short trip as Earth to Mars. At least for crewed ships.

 

[M'Sharak]

Re: One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail miss

Launch was scrubbed for today.

From Twitter:

elakdawalla
Launch scrub for #Akatsuki, #IKAROS due to adverse weather conditions. Can't blame them: http://twitpic.com/1op9ji about 9 hours ago

elakdawalla
New launch date! @Akatsuki_JAXA says #Akatsuki & #IKAROS launch date May 21 6:58:22 JST / May 20 21:58:22 UTC about 1 hour ago

 

[Meredith]

Re: One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail miss

Light sails accelerate too slowly for a such a short trip as Earth to Mars. At least for crewed ships.

They could be great for moving cargo back and forth between the Earth and Mars, etc...


Though for human spaceflight I would rather we build a "space station with a Nuclear Power plant and VASIMIR engines" to act as a human transport from one planet's orbit to another.

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

Re: One of the biggest overlookd science news stories..solar sail miss

Light sails accelerate too slowly for a such a short trip as Earth to Mars. At least for crewed ships.

The Plutonian colonies? Give me something!