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Japan To Launch Solar Sail Spacecraft "Ikaros"

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the so-that's-what-sailor-moon-does dept.

separsons writes "On May 18th, Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch Ikaros, a fuel-free spacecraft that relies completely on solar power. The spacecraft's 46-foot-wide sails are thinner than a human hair and lined with thin-film solar panels. After a rocket brings the craft to space, mission controllers on the ground will steer Ikaros by adjusting the sails' angles, ensuring optimal radiation is hitting the solar cells. If the mission proves successful, the $16M spacecraft will be the first solar sail-powered craft to enter deep space."

3 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. slashdot is slow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Once upon a time I read /. and learned about things before I saw them anywhere else.

    This story was printed on dead trees and delivered to my doorstep at 5am this morning.

  2. Re:Icarus? by A.+B3ttik · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    It's correctly spelled iKarOS and pronounced 'eye-car-oh-ess.'

  3. Re:Solar power in deepspace by insufflate10mg · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    People who point out their puns are like comedians who explain their jokes: they both think you're too stupid to get it. The only good thing about the phrase "pun intended" is that it saves you time when you want to say "hello, I'm going to be at the bag convention this weekend, please be sure to stop by and say 'hi.' I'll be at the douche exhibit." Here's the deal: when you point out your puns, you're making a value judgement on me, the reader. You're saying:

    Hey reader, you see that play on words I just made? Yeah, well that wasn't an accident. In fact, I thought it was so clever that I didn't think your simple mind would be able to comprehend the brilliance of my play on words, and I wanted to make sure you know that I'm not only smart enough to use homonyms, but that I'm smart enough to point them out.

    The sheer level of narcissism it takes to think that anyone gives a shit about whether or not you meant to write your pun is mind boggling. If narcissism were measured in units of mass, the skulls of people who pointed out puns would crush in on themselves in a giant black hole of stupidity.