The Japanese Space Agency, JAXA, has
an interesting project in development
listed on its website.

It's a good idea to surf over there
and look up the webpage giving
rudimentary details on a planned
electric solar-sail propelled spacecraft
to be named "Ikaros".

The Japanese space agency is planning to
design and build Ikaros which will be fitted
with a 50 meter [160ft] diameter, square solar-sail
intended to accelerate it towards.....get this!...
Jupiter.

If the Ikaros spacecraft gets built and launched,
it will be Japan's first spacecraft to visit one of the giant
outer-planets.

Just as awesome, and more noteworthy, it
may become the world's first successful use of
solar-sail propulsion in outer space.
FINALLY!!!...After more than 50 years, a space
agency is seriously designing and building a real
solar-sail!