Archive for July 13th, 2010
JAXA Confirms Photon Acceleration of Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator ‘IKAROS’
JAXA announce the Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator “IKAROS” has reached a successful acceleration of a photon (*1) after its sail deployment. IKAROS was launched by JAXA on May 21, 2010 (JST) . The thrust by solar light pressure is 1.12 mili-Newton (*2,) which is the expected value. JAXA has announced, “the IKAROS was proved to generate the biggest acceleration through photon during interplanetary flight in history.”
Read more in the JAXA Press Release.