IKAROS
Sign in to saveIKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) experimental spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched on 20 May 2010, aboard an H-IIA rocket, together with the Akatsuki (Venus Climate Orbiter) probe and four other small spacecraft. IKAROS is the first spacecraft to successfully demonstrate solar sail technology in interplanetary space. The craft's name is an allusion to the legendary Icarus (, Ikaros), who flew close to the Sun on wings made of bird-feathers and wax.
Key facts
- Spaceflight.name
- IKAROS
- Spaceflight.image
- IKAROS IAC 2010.jpg
- Spaceflight.image_caption
- A 1:64 scale model of the sized IKAROS spacecraft
- Spaceflight.image_alt
- IKAROS model
- Spaceflight.image_size
- 300px
- Spaceflight.mission_type
- Solar sail technology
- Spaceflight.operator
- JAXA
- Spaceflight.COSPAR_ID
- 2010-020E
- Spaceflight.SATCAT
- 36577
- Spaceflight.launch_mass
- 310 kg
- Spaceflight.dimensions
- Solar sail: (area: )
- Spaceflight.launch_rocket
- H-IIA 202
- Spaceflight.launch_site
- Tanegashima, LA-Y
- Spaceflight.disposal_type
- decommissioned
- Spaceflight.declared
- 15 May 2025
- Spaceflight.last_contact
- 21 May 2015
- Spaceflight.orbit_reference
- Heliocentric orbit
- Spaceflight.apsis
- helion
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Purpose
- Design
- Mission progress
- Scientific results
- See also
- Notes
- References
- External links
IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) experimental spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched on 20 May 2010, aboard an H-IIA rocket, together with the Akatsuki (Venus Climate Orbiter) probe and four other small spacecraft. IKAROS is the first spacecraft to successfully demonstrate solar sail technology in interplanetary space. The craft's name is an allusion to the legendary Icarus (, Ikaros), who flew close to the Sun on wings made of bird-feathers and wax.
On 8 December 2010, IKAROS flew by Venus at a distance of , successfully completing its planned mission, and entered its extended operation phase. Its last transmission was received in 2015. The operation was terminated officially on 15 May 2025.