The 200-sq-m (2,100-sq-ft) membrane is attached to a small disc-shaped spacecraft that was put in orbit last month by an H-IIA rocket. Ikaros will demonstrate the principle of using sunlight as a simple and efficient means of propulsion.
The technique has long been touted as a way of moving spacecraft around the Solar System using no chemical fuels.
There's a movie to made or book to be written around something like this...Or maybe it's already been done. (h/t to the anonymous Trekkie in comments)
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