Ikaros Spacecraft Successfully Propelled In Space

An anonymous reader writes "Japan's IKAROS spacecraft has already successfully deployed the first solar sail in space, but today it made the only first that really matters: it successfully captured the sun's rays with its 3,000-square-foot sail and used the energy to speed its way through space. Each photon of light exerts 0.0002 pounds of pressure on the 3,000-square-foot sail, and the steady stream of solar exposure has succeeded in propelling the nearly 700-pound drone."

Comments

Re:Sad writing (and summary)

[Chris Burke]

Arthur C Clarke did a much better job of explaining the concept with his "Sunjammer" story that appeared in Boy's Life ca 1964.

What?! Clarke was writing for Boy's Life in 1964? When and why did that lame-ass publication become so lame-ass when I was reading it in the 80s?!