World's First Solar Sail COSMOS 1 is planned to take off on June 21st 2005.

June 20th 2005, after 4 years of attempts once again Solar sail spacecraft COSMOS 1 is ready for launch. Russian modified ICBM Volna will be carrying first ever solar sail spacecraft COSMOS1, at an altitude of 800 km to face the sun. COSMOS 1 will use gentle light pressure to boost itself in higher orbit and travel further, If successful COSMOS1 would open a new area of research in space travel missions.

The first ever solar sail spacecraft COSMOS 1 will be launched from a submerged Russian submarine in the Barents Sea. It will be carried into orbit on board a Volna rocket - a converted ICBM left over from the old Soviet arsenal earlier developed for americans.

Volna will carry the spacecraft upto 800 kms in space and then spacecraft will separate from missile, at this stage COSMOS 1 will unfold its triangular blades and solar sailing should be in action thereafter.

Initially solar sail push due to light (electromagnetic waves) is negligible; they are expecting this push to accumulate over the time, accelerating COSMOS 1 faster and faster. Theoretically COSMOS 1 will gain 100 mph additionally in the speed and will be able to beat the Gravitation and move in a higher orbit.

Propulsion system of COSMOS1 is built up of eight triangular sails made of thin polyester called Mylor, its so thin and light weight that its 50 feet triangular sails can be folded and fit into a coffee cup. Though it's a very thin material its not the best against high temperatures and radiation. Thin layers of Carbon mesh or aluminium mesh are better and more expensive materials.

The Spacecraft is built in Russia by NPO Lavochkin under contract to The Planetary Society. Cosmos Studios is the project's sole sponsor besides donations from members of planetary society.

Theory says, Solar sail spacecraft with specifications (spread of sails is a major component of calculations) of COSMOS 1 could achieve speed of 100,000 mph in approx 3 years time. However COSMOS 1 is expected to demonstrate the proof of solar sailing theory not more than for several weeks, as its sails will soon become fragile to outer space radiations and will disintegrate.

For almost past two decades, all major countries and there militaries of course are conducting research on feasibility of solar sails and there use in space travel. Theoretical demonstration of solar sails resulting in always increasing speed without a drop of fuel undeny its candidature for outer space travel which is not possible with any of the advance space travel technology.

Till now Solar sailing was only discussed in theory and in science fiction, If successful this data from this mission will be foundation to many more advance space travel missions to come. Before this Friedman and planetarium society team have arranged the test launch in 2001, which ended up in a crash in Kamchatka, Russia as the spacecraft COSMOS 1 failed to separate from the missile.

"Things are looking good for June 21st," said Louis Friedman, executive director of the Planetary Society group sponsoring the mission. "There's no threat to the mission at this point. We've done our best and we're proud of where we are."

Cosmos 1 Specifications (Source : Planetary Society)

Orbit Specifications

This results in an orbital period of 100.89 minutes.

The spacecraft will broadcast telemetry at two different frequencies: 401.5275 MHz (UHF band) and 2250 MHz (S-band). However, the broadcast will not be continuous; it is turned only when the spacecraft passes over one of the ground stations in our network.

Cosmos 1 mission is approximately a $4 million project privately funded, largely by donation from Cosmos studios. Cosmos Studios is a media entertaining company in NYC ran by Ann Druyan, wife of late astronomer and science fiction writer Carl Sagan.