# Kickstarter... in... Sp-a-a-a-a-a-ce

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kickstarter-in-sp-a-a-a-a-a-ce/720269
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [May 17, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kickstarter-in-sp-a-a-a-a-a-ce/720269 "2015-05-17T22:33:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kickstarter-in-sp-a-a-a-a-a-ce/720269/3 "2015-05-20T03:44:20Z")

</div>

Phil Plait aka The Bad Astronomer of this message board, blogs on [the Lightsail](http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/05/19/lightsail_using_sunlight_to_propel_a_spacecraft.html). Personally, I’m amazed that massless particles can push spaceships to inter-planetary speeds. The Japanese have some bragging rights to this technology: [IKAROS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKAROS) flew past Venus back in 2010.

**Tomorrow** (May 20), the low orbit prototype is launched: [the webcast link is here](http://www.ulalaunch.com/webcast.aspx). The ship is burdened by a [software bug](http://www.planetary.org/blogs/jason-davis/2015/20150508-lightsail-test-mission-images.html), but it should still relay images if all goes well. If. Hopefully they will have that sorted out by the April 2016 high orbit launch date.  
Are lightsails the [space technology of the future](http://www.vox.com/2015/5/19/8624589/lightsail-solar-sails)? Hard to say. Could lightsails and cubesats put meaningful space exploration in reach of mid-sized countries? I’d like to know.

[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theplanetarysociety/lightsail-a-revolutionary-solar-sailing-spacecraft](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theplanetarysociety/lightsail-a-revolutionary-solar-sailing-spacecraft)

* * *

Space cup. They have a working prototype in the International Space Station. Now they want to make them out of glass for zero g and 1 g encounters.

Q1) Um, why? I know 3-D laser printing is expensive, but c’mon.  
My guess: because it’s cool for earthbound folk. Eh, ok.  
Q2) That base looks a little narrow for 1 g environments.

The group also says, “With this project supported we’ll also have resources to invest in more like-minded living-and-working in space demonstrations. We’ll let you know what we mean soon…” That I can get behind. I’m pretty excited about working out nuts and bolts stuff.  
[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spaceware/space-coffee-cup](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spaceware/space-coffee-cup)

---

_[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kickstarter-in-sp-a-a-a-a-a-ce/720269)._