IKAROS JAXA Solar Sail mission Options

[Vultur]

IKAROS sounds really cool, is there any website to find more info on it?

[punkboi]

IKAROS sounds really cool, is there any website to find more info on it?

Project Page: http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/ikaros/index_e.html

Photos: http://jda.jaxa.jp/jda/p3_e.php?mode=level...mp;mission=9095

Description Page: http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/e/activity/ikaros.html

[nprev]

Pandaneko, by all means please take your time...and thank you for this!!!

[pandaneko]

Page 9:

2: Verification of photon acceralation

2.1 We confirmed photon acceralation by Doppler measurements.

2.2 Estimated propulsive power was in agreenment with the designed value.

2.3 We measured photon proplusion at different AUs and at different sun angles. Cumulative photon acceralation reached 100 m/s.

(2 graphs here)

One on left is the Doppler measurement history.

Vertical axis on left is the difference of IKAROS between two cases where photon pressure is present (actual measued values) and where photon pressure is absent (calculated values) in mm/s.

Horizontal axis is the time line around the final extension on 9 June 2010.

The caption at the bottom of this particular graph says "Estimated (from Doppler effects) photon pressure= 1.1 nM"

There are chrracter strings on this graph, top one says "execution of final extension at 09:36 UTC" and the one below it says "time region where data is missing due to swtich over to oneway Doppler mode".

The other graph on the right is the cumulative photon acceralation, vertical axis on left is just that, horizontal axis is the time line between 22 May and 8 December. The caption at bottom of this graph says "We achieved 100 m/s by November".

Page 10:

2: Navigational skills obtained with the solar sail

2.1 With the liquid crystal device we conducted device checking and attitude control experiment and confirmed that expected control ability was achieved.

2.2 IKAROS flew by Venus at 80,000 km on 8 December and it was a day later than AKATSUKI because we conducted a non-balistic flight by the solar sail on way. Akatsuki was led to the sun side of Venus and IKAROS to the night side.

(with this page 10, we have 2 graphs and one image)

With the leftmost graph the vertical axis is the sun angle (its title is the spin rate during control mode, by the way) and the horizontal axis is the time line in UST, starting at 12:00 on 12 July.

The character string in the top box is "control start", bule dots are before the start of control mode and red dots are taken during this control mode operation. Solid line is the expected sun angle without control.

The chenck of caption below it says" gievn the initial evaluation which took into account the sun distance and the sun angle we confirmed that over 90% of attitude control accuracy was achieved".

The second graph is as follows.

The character string in red at top says "nearest approach to Venus at 07:39 UT and IKAROS is moving to the left.

Then, the image, and this is before image processing.

(To me, it does not look fully extended. It looks like a dried jelly fish thrown up on a beach..., P)

Page 11:

3: Outline of follow-up operations

3.1 duration: until about end March 2012 (and we will be making a decision on further follow-up operation at that time)

3.2 DSN station: Usuda 64 m

3.3 Objectives:

We wish to gain further insight into solar sail navigation which we hope will contribute to the development of next project.

3.3.1 Solar power sail mission: 4 new themes and 3 continuing themes
3.3.2 With optional devices (GAP, ALDN, VLBI) current mission will continue
3.3.3 Evaluation of newly developped devices, such as liquid/gas equilibrium thruster, MGA, mission system electicity

PANDANEKO