Last year I made a post about Michio Kaku's book Physics of the Impossible. In the chapter concerning inter-stellar travel, he delves into one possibility that involves using solar sails to propel a spacecraft. The benefit of this being the ship would not require a source of power that would expire. Conceptually, a a solar sail would fit on the front of a spacecraft and absorb photons that would propel it forward. Theoretically over time it would build momentum and ensure a long flight for the spacecraft to help it reach the farthest reaches of our universe and boldly go where no man has gone before. Yes, it does sound like science fiction, but tomorrow it will be making strides to becoming science fact. Tomorrow the Japanese will be launching two satellites powered by solar sails, name Daedalus and Icarus. You can read the full article here, but let us hope that results of these two satellites yield the necessary information to improve space travel. It is not long before we can begin to enjoy happy hour at Mos Eisly.
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