Japan Solar Space Yacht

epa02167171 An undated handout of a Japanese solar-powered 'space yacht'. As Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency Jaxa announced on 21 May 2010, space ship 'Ikaros' was successfully hauled into the orbit by a H-IIA-launching rocket together with the Venus satellite 'Akatsuki'. The launching from southern Japanese space center Tanegashima had to be put off for three days due to bad weather conditions. The solar sail 'Ikaros' (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) resembles a wind kite; it measures 20 metres in diameteris merely 0,0075 milimetres thin. It is made of polyimideis powered by film solar cellsthe pressure of sunlight particles. 'Ikaros' might clear the path for hybrid-powered space missions. The idea of a solar sail powered by sunlight is 100 years old but  could not be put into practice due to technical obstacles.  EPA/Jaxa Handout  EDITORIAL USE ONLY