SpaceX Falcon rocket launcher

A small spacecraft designed to travel in space by solar energy is scheduled to be introduced into space from SpaceX boosters in 2016, AFP July 10 quoted the head. an American space association said.

LightSail, the unmanned aerial spacecraft , also known as the "sun-sad wing" , of the Planetary Association (USA) will be launched into orbit by SpaceX Falcon heavy rocket in the next 2 years. , Bill Nye - head of the Planetary Association told AFP.

The project was funded by benefactors and a number of members of the Planetary Association, considered the largest space association in the world and co-founded by the famous American astronomer Carl Sagan in the year. 1980.

With LightSail, scientists are excited by the prospect of flying spacecraft to explore stars and galaxies without carrying fuel.

LightSail "Solar sail"LightSail is expected to fly into space in 2016 - (Photo: AFP)

Under the plan, the "sun-sad wing" will overcome low-Earth orbit, where the International Space Station (ISS) is operating, to fly to medium-range Earth orbit.

Initially, LightSail will be contained in another spacecraft called Prox-1. When it comes to its predetermined position, Prox-1 will release "the sun's sad wing" and then fly along and take a picture of it.

A few weeks after entering orbit, the wings reflecting LightSail's light would be spread out to 32 square meters, making it visible from Earth.

According to Bill Nye, a test flight, with a smaller type of missile and a lower orbit, could be tried in 2015.

It is known that in 2005, the Planetary Association also launched a solar-powered spacecraft called Cosmos 1 but failed due to an error from the Russian rocket.

In 2010, the Japan Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced it had launched IKAROS, and said it was the world's first demonstration of a solar-powered spacecraft.

Meanwhile, the US Space and Aeronautics Agency (NASA) said its Sunjammer solar-powered spacecraft is expected to take off later this year.