Cosmos-1, an experimental spacecraft designed to test a solar sail that uses light particles (photons) from the Sun to power its travel through space, was prevented from reaching its orbit by rocket failure shortly after launch (picture above) on 21 June 2005. It rode on an intercontinental ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea. Everything was Russian built. Once in orbit, the craft was supposed to spread its sail sections allowing it to be pushed forwards by the photon impact.

[ Frank  |  22 February 2009 ]