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Cosmos Solar Sail Getting Close To Launch
digitalcaffeine writes "The Guardian is reporting that US and Russian scientists are planning to launch a spacecraft that will use solar sails to move about in space. This venture, called Cosmos 1, is backed by the Planetary Society and Cosmos Studios. The spacecraft, finally due for launch in late 2004 or early 2005, will use a converted SS-N-18 submarine launched ballistic missile fired from beneath the Barents Sea to get it into a 800 x 1000 km elliptical orbit. It will then unfurl its 15m sails and start moving about. So, for all the governments that have been working on a similar project, the first solar-sailed spacecraft is going to be from a private venture." An update on the official site notes that "The world's first solar sail craft is nearing completion. All electronic systems are now flight qualified and were delivered to the spacecraft for final assembly and testing" - we previously reported on the Cosmos Project and the efficacy of solar sails.
I think its great that former weapons are being used for constructive science. Continues a long tradition. Plus, I bet those missiles are the most reliable chemical launch vehicles around -- the military does not mess around when trying to kill people, and frowns heavily on equipment failure. (as a rule)
And was all that talk (Sagan's wife) about it being visible to the world true? Or was it metaphorical? I can't imagine it being THAT big at this point...
Moo.
That sail makes a nice big, easy to penetrate target (no BBW jokes, please).
The article describes the sail as thinner than a garbage back. Even the tiniest speck of space junk would would easily blow a hole in this. And, if that happens enough times, and especially with bigger pieces of space junk, won't it be filled with thousands of various sized holes?
It doesn't seem like it's being put into orbit high enough to avoid this kind of damage. Obviously they thought of this... are the holes inconsequential?
-- "A chicken is an egg's way of making another egg."
From the official site:
The mission goal - to fly the first controlled solar sail flight - remains the same.
I guess the "controlled" part is important. The sail itself is actually a set of blades which can be tilted to steer the craft.
Paul B.
America had nothing to do with it so it did'ent happen :)
Actually has anyone been to the space museum beside the meteor crater in Arizona? It lists everything about space except in leaves out one minor detail Russia never went to space apparently
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