The moment of H-IIA Launch Vehicle liftoff
(photo courtesy of JAXA)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 17 carrying the small solar power demonstrator “IKAROS” featuring our metalizing technology lifted off on May 21 from Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima, Japan.

IKAROS, Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun, is the world’s first solar sail-equipped interplanetary (from Earth to Venus) navigational spacecraft. After separating from the launch vehicle, it has been successfully navigating 400,000km/day. And on June 10, IKAROS expanded its solar sail. It will approach Venus within six months while conducting various experiments.

IKAROS consists of the main body and sail. The 14㎡ quadrate sail is made of special polyimide film that is structured from four pieces of film called trapezoid petals. The 8-μm-thin polyimide film of the sail has two layers of heterogeneous aluminum on top where TIP’s special high-adhesion plasma treating and metalizing technology were applied.

As shown in this example, our metalizing film formation technology is highly appreciated not only on Earth but also in space.