Cosmos 1: Solar Sail launch

[electron]

Who is going to try to spot the craft, since it will be visible from earth:

http://www.planetary.org/solarsail/watch/

The craft will be launched later today (close to 4pm EST if I remember correctly).

 

[rocco]

I will be looking for it, but not for four days.

I believe that the sails won't deploy until Saturday, to give it time for any remnants of air to leak out.

 

[HAL_MAN]

You better get a submarine if you are going to look for it because its on the sea floor.

Regards,
Shawn

 

[electron]

It's not looking good, but don't give hope up yet

This page shows what's going on:

http://planetary.org/solarsailblog/index_03.html

 

[Stinger]

Don't forget about the celestial fireworks on July 4th, when Nasa sends their "Deep Impact" craft on a collision course with a meteor.

And no, I'm not kidding. I'm not sure what bugs me more... The fact they timed this for the 4th, or that they named it after a movie about a meteor that was going to destroy earth.

 

[electron]

I definitely look forward to those results, everything looks good so far. Most expensive 4th of July fireworks ever.

 

[Rupp]

It's not looking good, but don't give hope up yet

This page shows what's going on:

http://planetary.org/solarsailblog/index_03.html

So is it gone for good or not?

 

[electron]

As the blog shows, there is a lot of conflicting evidence. They are pretty sure that they received a signal from the space craft at several listening stations, but the space craft isn't where it is supposed to be. If it did make orbit, it's going to take them a while to find it, STRATCOM is not able to locate it either, which is very strange. The Russians are saying that they have data that might indicate that there was a problem with the Volna launch vehicle (again), so they don't think it made orbit.

Latest page with updates is now:
http://planetary.org/solarsailblog/index_04.html

 

[Rupp]

Well, It appears the final verdict is in:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/06/22/r...=cnn_topstories

 

[electron]

That's what I mean by conflicting evidence. The Russians aren't sure that the craft crashed, while the scientists are pretty sure they heard from the craft while it was being inserted into orbit.

 

[electron]

update (kind of):

http://planetary.org/solarsailblog/index_05.html