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KF5JRV > TECH 25.07.19 12:50l 6 Lines 1459 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 11132_KF5JRV
Read: DJ6UX DF7EAV OE7FMI GUEST
Subj: LightSail 2 Unfurled
Path: DB0FHN<OE2XZR<OE5XBL<F1OYP<ON0AR<GB7CIP<AB0AF<KF5JRV
Sent: 190725/1144Z 11132@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA BPQ6.0.18
The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 satellite successfully unfurled itsboxing ring-sized solar sail on Tuesday and is getting ready to absorbsolar rays as its only energy source for propulsion. It could soonrepresent the first time a spacecraft has traveled through space usingonly sunlight.The unusual spacecraft is investigating an exciting form of locomotionin the far reaches of outer space — something that astronomers have beenwondering about for hundreds of years.German 17th century astronomer Johannes Kepler theorized that sails andships could one day be “adapted to the heavenly breezes.ö Now we knowthat the Sun’s photons exert tiny amounts of pressure which could becollected and used by a spacecraft’s “sailö for propulsion. The bigadvantage: no need for heavy liquid fuel and conventional solar arraysas an energy source.LightSail 2 rocketed into orbit on top SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket inJune to begin its journey. It even snapped some impressive pictures ofEarth as it entered our planet’s orbit.If all goes according to plan, LightSail 2 could soon start zippingthrough outer space — but at an incredibly slow velocity at first. TheSun’s photons only exert pressure equal to the weight of a paperclip.The unique spacecraft will spend about a year in Earth’s orbit beforethe team behind it will adjust its orientation to eventually burn up inthe atmosphere.
73, Scott KF5JRV
Pmail: KF5JRV @ KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA
Email: KF5JRV@GMAIL.com
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