[HCDX]: Sailing on the solar wind

[Ralph Brandi <ralph@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Interesting article in this week's *Economist* about future modes of space travel, including literally sailing on the solar wind.

The reason I mention it here is because the article mentions that the most likely first candidate for such a radical new method of propulsion is a satellite that would take advantage of some of the properties of its solar sail to orbit much closer to the sun than current solar-observatory satellites do.  One of the benefits touted in the article for this satellite, known as *Geostorms*, is that it would be able to provide warnings of solar storms (and consequently shortwave disruptions) an hour earlier than current methods.  The probe is projected to launch as soon as 2005.

Because the Economist quickly recycles its articles into an archive that you have to pay to see, you may want to look at this in the next week. <http://www.economist.com/0d59BObI/editorial/freeforall/28-8-99/index_st1556.html>
-- 
Ralph Brandi  ralph@xxxxxxxxxx  webmaster@xxxxxxxxx  http://www.anarc.org/

Webmaster, Association of North American Radio Clubs
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