spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


Solar sail launch date set
Posted: Wed, Nov 10, 2004, 8:13 PM ET (0113 GMT)
Cosmos 1 solar sail A privately-developed solar sail is now scheduled for launch in March of next year, The Planetary Society announced Tuesday. The Cosmos 1 solar sail will be launched by a Russian sub-based Volna booster on March 1, 2005, at the beginning of a launch window that extends to April 7. Cosmos 1 aims to be the first orbital, controlled flight test of a solar sail, using only solar photons to propel the spacecraft. The venture has been run by The Planetary Society with funding provided by a private company, Cosmos Studios; most of the work has been done by the Russian company NPO Lavochkin. The project was announced in early 2001 and a failed suborbital test flight took place in July 2001. Tuesday's announcement coincided with the 70th anniversary of the birth of Carl Sagan, a cofounder of The Planetary Society.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief
CesiumAstro raises $730 million
Posted: Sat, Nov 7 12:14 PM ET (1714 GMT)

AST SpaceMobile plans new rocket using Firefly engines
Posted: Sat, Nov 7 12:10 PM ET (1710 GMT)

Blue Origin announces new upper stage and engine for New Glenn
Posted: Sat, Nov 7 12:07 PM ET (1707 GMT)

news links
Tuesday, November 10


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list