Solar Sail, where are you???

Photo: Courtesy of NPO Lavochkin, The Planetary Society


Cosmos 1, the solar sail, which launched Tuesday the 21st, has still not been found after days of hoping and praying. Just minutes after launch, the Russian booster rocket never reached final orbit; ironically carrying away the hopes of many a star-struck astronomer. The rocket is still MIA a week later. Cosmos 1 was a marvelous project to be certain, but maybe there are other factors at play:

Scenario 1: Alien abduction - the Russian rocket, Volna, may have been a perfect target for some teenage alien's sick prank on primitive human-kind.
Alien teenager to Earth - "You guys are still using rockets??? Are you kidding?"

Scenario 2: Baby black hole - the theory of baby black holes is far from fiction and would explain how a Russian rocket of no small size suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Baby Black Hole to Earth - "Is that a rocket in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

Scenario 3: C'mos, our future metal master - like the omniscient V'GER from Star Trek:The Motion Picture (of course, you've seen it), the solar sail may later return to our galaxy to make things generally unpleasant.
C'mos to Earth - "Kneel humans. Know thy master, Master!"

Scenario 4: Do you speak Whale? - Cosmos 1 may have inadvertently communicated with super-advanced whale aliens (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home) and gotten itself taken back to Super-Advanced Whale-Alien Planet.
Whale-aliens to Russian rocket - "Uh, do you like come here often, huh huh. I said "come."

Whatever the case may be, Cosmos 1 will be missed. Maybe it's loss signals more than just the hopes and aspirations of scientists and enthusiasts. Maybe, Cosmos 1 is the beacon for a whole new scientific zeitgeist.
Cosmos 1 may be the harbinger of innovation which finally helps 'big science' get away from the stodgy, unimaginative visions of mass fuel consumption exploration with its simple wings for riding solar wind. Science may be growing up.

A brief speck in the history of science or an elegant symbol of things to come. Cosmos 1, we solute you wherever you are.


More on the solar sail, Cosmos 1
Planetary Society's Website (the founders)
Wired magazine's coverage of Cosmos 1
Space.com's coverage of Cosmos 1
The video of Cosmos 1's launch
Official Solar Sail blog
Official Solar Sail media page