Japan To Launch Solar-Powered Spacecraft

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced plans to launch a solar-powered 'space yacht'--the first of its kind--according to various media reports on Tuesday. The Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation of the Sun (IKAROS) satellite uses a special 66-foot (20m) sail made of thin-film solar technology that will allow the ship to use pressure, created by the reflection of sunlight off the sails, as propulsion. Furthermore, the satellite craft will also be equipped with solar cells to generate electricity, effectively making the IKAROS a hybrid spacecraft. More

(Source: Red Orbit - Apr 29)