If you thought solar panels or cars are sweet, you’re two steps behind. The Japanese space agency (of which we keep hearing more and more) put solar panels in space.
Even better, so-called Ikaros solar sail is pushed forward by solar light – literally. Basically, photons exert pressure when they fall on the super reflective panels which are embedded on the sail. This of course is a really small pressure value we’re talking about, but it’s applied constantly, which makes it count.
Practically, each thrust exerts about 0.0002 pounds of force on the nearly 700-pound Ikaros.
“The main direction of all of this is that it’s a future propulsion method for planetary, interplanetary and maybe even interstellar missions,” said Louis Friedman, executive director of the Planetary Society. “Basically, it allows you to fly around the solar system without any fuel.”
I dunno about you, but that sounds like they’re on to something there.
Andrei is no scientist, but from an early age, he has been fascinated by science; that's why he went to college, and signed up for Geophysics. Feeling that there's a huge gap between science and average people, he rallied TP, started ZME Science, and gave it a green twist too. 
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Published on Fri, Jul 23, 2010 by Mihai Andrei
Post filled in: Space