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Topic: Japan deploys 1st solar sail  (Read 2642 times)

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Offline Nemesis

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Japan deploys 1st solar sail
« on: June 11, 2010, 04:36:16 pm »
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Japan's new solar sail spacecraft has fully deployed its sail and begun generating power through its embedded solar cells, according to Japanese officials.


Assuming it actually works (not yet public if it is functioning, just the fact of deployment) such a sail could be used to convey the robots for the proposed Japanese moon base to lunar orbit.  It could be used over and over greatly reducing the fuel costs (it could grab a probe from LEO).
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Offline Nemesis

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Re: Japan deploys 1st solar sail
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2020, 04:47:30 pm »
Just looked this one up and the mission was successful.  Both acceleration and maneuvering achieved.
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Offline Sirgod

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Re: Japan deploys 1st solar sail
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2020, 04:51:30 pm »
OUTSTANDING!
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Offline Nemesis

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Re: Japan deploys 1st solar sail
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2020, 05:45:24 pm »
What I'd love to see is someone launch a big one designed for long term use ferrying satellites and probes around.  Drop a satellite in low orbit and along comes the sail to act as tug to take it to geosynchronous or even lunar orbit.  A long enough tether and it might be able to slow one down for an easier lunar landing before the sail heads back to Earth orbit.
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