Enlarge Image The Planetary Society

Space ahoy! The LightSail 2 space propulsion test project passed a major milestone by deploying a shiny Mylar solar sail on Tuesday. Images released on Wednesday show the sail during and after its glorious unfurling process.

A perfect day for sailing! Images from the spacecraft confirm the solar sails deployed on 23 June 2019 at 11:47 PDT. Details at https://t.co/FZahKXhJh5 pic.twitter.com/ySyR4zUNJv — Planetary Society (@exploreplanets) July 24, 2019

Solar sailing is both futuristic and old-fashioned. Instead of relying on wind like a sailboat, LightSail is pushed by photon particles from the sun bouncing off the large reflective surface of the sail.

The Planetary Society, which is headed up by CEO and science celeb Bill Nye, is running the LightSail 2 project. "All indications are that LightSail 2 has successfully deployed its solar sail," the group tweeted on Tuesday.

To recap: All indications are that #LightSail2 has successfully deployed its solar sail! We will begin downlinking imagery on today's remaining tracking passes to confirm. pic.twitter.com/j57FYrhb8R — Planetary Society (@exploreplanets) July 23, 2019

The society followed up with a final confirmation of success.

SAIL DEPLOYMENT COMPLETE! We're sailing on SUNLIGHT!!!!! pic.twitter.com/PA74NMa7Ry — Planetary Society (@exploreplanets) July 23, 2019

Lightsail 2 hitched a ride to space on board a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in June. Science stars Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson spearheaded a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 to help fund the mission. It raised over $1.2 million.

The Planetary Society says LightSail 2 "aims to become the first spacecraft in Earth orbit propelled solely by sunlight." The group wants to demonstrate that solar sailing could be used to as a means of propulsion for CubeSats, tiny, inexpensive satellites that explore and conduct science in space.

If LightSail 2 is a success, it could open the path for more ambitious solar sail missions beyond Earth orbit, all the way to other planets and even other star systems.

Now we just need Katrina & The Waves to rerecord their '80s hit song as Sailing on Sunshine instead.

Originally published July 23.

Update, July 24, 4:26 p.m. PT: Adds image of Lightsail 2 with its sail deployed.