Summary: Launched on the 20th of May, the final step of preparation for the LightSail was launched. This was a test sail that would practice unfurling the sail and send back pictures to Earth. I am incredibly excited by this mission and have been ever since I saw the concept art nearly fifteen years ago as a possible design for futuristic spacecraft.
The LightSail is designed to work just like a sailboat; only instead of the wind filling the sail, it is light from the sun. Photons emitted from the sun will push the sail outward and the spacecraft will sail happily along. Even when it has passed beyond the reach of the sun's light, momentum will keep the craft going, even if not as fast.
This would not be a design intended for human travel since it is so slow, but more as a method of sending data gathering probes out into space with no power needed for propulsion beyond adjusting the sail. Furthermore, I believe this sail is not going to be able to tack and sail into the headwind. It will be a one-way mission.
Planetary Society
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