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Finnish Electric Solar Sail Nears Implementation

Posted by Soulskill on from the fly-me-to-the-moon dept.

eldavojohn writes "A recent meeting held by the Finnish Meteorological Institute has resulted in plans to build an electric solar sail that will circle the Earth, gaining speed to test its acceleration. The purpose? 'A flight out of the solar system to measure the gas, dust, plasma and magnetic field in the undisturbed interstellar space would perhaps be the "flagship" thing to do,' said Pekka Janhunen, a researcher developing the sail at the FMI. The details and papers of this project (over two years in the making) are also available. I certainly hope it will show more success than the launch of the similar U.S.-Russian venture and its subsequent complete failure."

6 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. weird by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    This is a pretty crazy story, I would want to invest in this.

  2. Totally offtopic but interesting reading by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Moslem scientists calling for GMT to be replaced by Mecca time.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7359258.stm

    A man, afer a drunken binge, dressed as Darth Vader assualted a Star Wars fan who founded a Jedi Church.

    To quote the article, after the assaulter, did not
    to arrive on time, District Judge Andrew Shaw issued an arrest warrant, adding: "I hope the force will soon be with him."

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/7360871.stm

  3. Re:Not quite the same thing really by Thelasko · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Mod parent up

    --
    One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
  4. One small step... by ravensee · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    for man, one giant leap for ye pirates. Yarrrr.

  5. Obligatory... by my_left_nut · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    ... "But does it run linux?"

  6. Larry Niven is... by vorlich · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    God.

    --
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