IKAROS unfurls first ever solar sail in space
Friday, June 11, 2010 - 06:40
in Astronomy & Space
(PhysOrg.com) -- Japan's IKAROS has rolled out its solar sail, the first ever deployed in space. JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, achieved the feat by rotating the craft rapidly and spinning the sail out by centrifugal force. IKAROS is the world`s first solar-powered spacecraft.