Cosmos 1

Cosmos 1, the world's first solar sail, is set to launch within minutes (as in, from now) from a Russian nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea. The spacecraft, which was developed by a private US-Russian consortium spearheaded by the Planetary Society, will be shot into orbit aboard a converted intercontinental ballistic missile, after which it will unfurl eight ultra-thin, 14 meter long triangular sails and begin its orbit around the Earth.  If all goes as planned, the craft should be visible with the naked eye from the ground. We're still trying to figure out what it's going to, um, do.

[Via The Australian]


Cosmos 1 Solar Sail set for launch