The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) experimental satellite, IKAROS, has begun accelerating with solar pressure after unfurling its solar sail.
The interplanetary kite-craft accelerated by radiation of the sun was launched in May 2010 and is fitted with a 200m² sail made of 0.0075mm polyimide resin, which uses solar radiation for propulsion.
IKAROS has generated the biggest photon acceleration during interplanetary flight in history, according to JAXA.
The demonstrator spacecraft successfully deployed its sail in June 2010.