I remember reading about the failure of the first solar sail tests, I hope this one will be better.
I find it amazing that somthing that was a concept only found in science fiction books is now being tested for real.
The keys to Cosmos 1’s innovative propulsion system are its eight triangular sails, made from highly reflective, 50-foot-tall Mylar sheets. Mylar is the material commonly used for novelty helium-filled balloons. Once the sails are unfurled in orbit at an altitude of about 500 miles, photons streaming away from the sun will bounce off them, giving the spacecraft a little push as they go. Though these tiny pushes won’t amount to much at first, they are expected to add up over time, propelling Cosmos 1 faster and faster. With each day that passes, the spacecraft is expected to gain another 100 mph in speed. Eventually, it will be able to fight Earth’s gravitational pull and move into a higher orbit
Cosmos 1 set to test Solar Sail