The Planetary Society's Cosmos 1, if tonght'slaunch goes well, of course,
aims to do more than demonstrate thrust by solar
radiation; it also aims to demonstrate steerability by a process analogous
to old-time sail tacking. Further, if the mission endures , it is planned to
use a radiotelescope to beam power from here on Earth to add propulsive
force as well.

If these three objectives are actually met over the coming weeks, it would
be fair to claim that Cosmos 1 is, potentially, to interstellar travel what
the Wrights' Flyer was to modern aviation - and possibly even over a
comparable historical time frame


On this subject, the looming discovery of Earthlike planets is likely to
have an inspirational effect - there is nothing like a concrete destination,
however hard to reach, to focus the dreams of explorers...

June's "Astronomy Now" carries an article by Professor Webster Cash ,of
Colorado University, who proposes a giant "pinhole camera" -the New Worlds
Imager - to seek out and characterise such Earthlike planets. A large
sunshade with a "pinhole" would screen out the glaring starlight and allow a
well-placed 1 metre telescope to see and examine its planets - the whole
assembly to be placed into a Lagrange orbit.

The engineering problems of transfer, deployment, and control of the
sunshade bear an uncanny resemblance to the techniques required for Cosmos
1.

I have proposed to Professor Cash and TPS that a collaboration on a Cosmos
2- or 3 - built around this idea would be fruitful and would demonstrate
dramatically a powerful application for solar sailing in a reasonable
period of time.

We shall see what the future brings, but I am quietly hopeful that at least
the idea will be seriously considered.!

Meanhile if the Cosmos 1 launch is successful tonight readers might like to
look ou for James Oberg's article on the NBC News website in the next few
days...

Michael Martin-Smith