IKAROS: Difference between revisions
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==Design== |
==Design== |
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The square sail, deployed via a spinning motion, is {{convert|20|m|abbr=on}} on the diagonal and is made of a {{convert|adj=on|7.5|μm|mil}} thick sheet of [[polyimide]]. A thin-film solar array is embedded in the sail. Eight [[liquid crystal display|LCD]] panels are embedded in the sail, whose reflectance can be adjusted for [[attitude control]]. The sail also contains eight dust counters as part of the science payload.<ref name=jaxa20100311>{{cite web | author= | title=Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator | url=http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/ikaros/index_e.html | publisher=JAXA | date=11 March 2010 | accessdate=2010-05-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/e/activity/ikaros.html | title=IKAROS Project | date=2008 | publisher=JAXA | accessdate=30 March 2010}}</ref> IKAROS |
The square sail, deployed via a spinning motion, is {{convert|20|m|abbr=on}} on the diagonal and is made of a {{convert|adj=on|7.5|μm|mil}} thick sheet of [[polyimide]]. A thin-film solar array is embedded in the sail. Eight [[liquid crystal display|LCD]] panels are embedded in the sail, whose reflectance can be adjusted for [[attitude control]]. The sail also contains eight dust counters as part of the science payload.<ref name=jaxa20100311>{{cite web | author= | title=Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator | url=http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/ikaros/index_e.html | publisher=JAXA | date=11 March 2010 | accessdate=2010-05-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/e/activity/ikaros.html | title=IKAROS Project | date=2008 | publisher=JAXA | accessdate=30 March 2010}}</ref> IKAROS unfurled its sail on June 11, 2010, and will spend six months traveling to Venus, and then will begin a three-year journey to the far side of the Sun.<ref>{{cite news | last = McCurry | first = Justin | title = Space yacht Ikaros ready to cast off for far side of the sun | publisher = The Guardian Weekly | date = [[2010-05-17]] | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/17/space-yacht-ikaros-japan-venus | accessdate = 2010-05-18 }}</ref> |
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==Future== |
==Future== |
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Revision as of 15:49, 11 June 2010
IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) is a Japanese interplanetary spacecraft that was successfully launched on 21 May 2010 aboard an H-IIA rocket by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Its mission is to demonstrate solar-sail technology in interplanetary space.[1][2]
Purpose
The IKAROS probe is the world's first spacecraft to use solar sailing as the main propulsion. It plans to demonstrate four key technologies:
- Deployment and control of a large, thin solar sail membrane
- Thin-film solar cells integrated into the sail to power the payload
- Measurement of acceleration due to radiation pressure on the solar sail
- Attitude control via variable reflectance panels
The sail finished deploying on June 10, and is currently being tested. The final two items will be tested during the remaining six month trip to Venus.
Investigations of aspects of interplanetary space, such as the solar wind and cosmic dust, are also part of the mission.
Design
The square sail, deployed via a spinning motion, is 20 m (66 ft) on the diagonal and is made of a 7.5-micrometre (0.30-mil) thick sheet of polyimide. A thin-film solar array is embedded in the sail. Eight LCD panels are embedded in the sail, whose reflectance can be adjusted for attitude control. The sail also contains eight dust counters as part of the science payload.[3][4] IKAROS unfurled its sail on June 11, 2010, and will spend six months traveling to Venus, and then will begin a three-year journey to the far side of the Sun.[5]
Future
If successful, IKAROS is to be followed by a 50 m (160 ft) sail, intended to journey to Jupiter, later in the decade.
References
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
spaceflightnowwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Launch Day of the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 17(H-IIA F17)". JAXA. March 3, 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-07.
- ^ "Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator". JAXA. 11 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-07.
- ^ "IKAROS Project". JAXA. 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
- ^ McCurry, Justin (2010-05-17). "Space yacht Ikaros ready to cast off for far side of the sun". The Guardian Weekly. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
- IKAROS Project webpage
- Osamu Mori; et al. (June 6, 2008). "Development of Deployment System for Small Size Solar Sail Mission" (PDF). 26th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|author=(help) - Osamu Mori et als. (July 9, 2009). "First Solar Power Sail Demonstration by IKAROS" (PDF). 27th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
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