Space.com has revealed the introduction of an electric sail prototype that uses the solar wind in order to propel itself through space. This electrically charged solar sail does not need gas or other means of propellant. The "small" prototype has 5-mile long tethers that are positively charged. These electric sails need nothing but the solar wind to move the small craft. Solar panels on the craft should charge the particles on the sails. The solar wind should push against these sails with a similar charge.
The craft would be designed to gather the composition of interstellar gases and dust that make up contents of unexplored space. The first trial of this ship should be in the next three years. The scientists testing this new technology plan to keep the sails in a high Earth orbit that would still allow them to test the forces on the object from the Sun's solar wind.
Additionally, the researches hope to test a "turbo" setting for the sails that would involve the use of radio-frequency waves to increase the speeds. Although this technology will not help us with the expensive and energy inefficient means of propelling the missions into space, it should allow us to explore deeper into regions of the universe.
For images and more, check out: http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/080423-tw-finnish-solar-sail.html
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