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Sailing to Venus
Friday, 04 February 2011 20:55
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Spaceflight - Private spaceflight

The Japanese solar sail mission IKAROS has succesfully achieved its primary goal, and returned this image of teh sail with Venus in the background

The Small Solar Power Sail Demonstrator "IKAROS" has been in its regular operation phase for about six months to verify navigation by the world's first solar sail device and power generation by the thin-film solar battery. As its missions have been achieved, the IKAROS has completed its regular operations. The demonstrator will be in the post operational phase, which leads to the development of a successor while acquiring basic knowledge of solar power sail technology including a navigation guidance technique.

Source: JAXA and the IKAROS Tweet