Submission + - Japanese H-IIA launches with Ikaros and Akatsuki (examiner.com)
JoshuaInNippon writes: At 6:58 in the morning of May 21, 2010 (JST), a JAXA H-IIA rocket was successfully launched from southern Japan. After about 27 minutes of flight, the rocket reached space and sent off its cargo, including a Venus probe named Akatsuki, an experimental solar sail spacecraft named Ikaros, and several small satellites. The success of both Akatsuki and Ikaros could help bring important information on Earth's mysterious sister planet and on near future, cost effective space travel.