Solar sail up in smoke?

First Solar Sail Mission Remains Out Of Contact

The first spacecraft to be powered by a solar sail was launched today from a Russian submarine using the refitted ICBM launcher known as the Volna. Mission control is still awaiting confirmation the spacecraft is in orbit.

However, with two overpasses now complete with no contact, the situation is looking grim with Russian media reporting a failure during the first stage burn.

Well-known satellite watcher Bob Christy posted to FPspace newslist "No signals detected from my location in the UK, 2117-2135 UTC". Another keen listener to the satellites, Max White, also posted to FPspace "Same goes for tracking outside Cheltenham. Nil heard between passes of Akebono and Cosmos 2414 navsat - both [of which] giving out decent signals."

According to one source, radio contact was lost during a rocket firing, using a poorly tested "kick stage" assembled by Russia using "Soviet army surplus." {Eeehh. Check out what the next item on SpaceDaily was: Russian Rocket Carrying Military Satellite Crashes In Siberia}

The Planetary Society, which is overseeing the mission, further reported that the next contact opportunity is at 0423 GMT. (12:23am EDT).