The Planetary Society, A&E TV and Cosmos Sudios-funded Cosmos 1 prototype solar sail mission failed on 19 July due to a software error.
The payload failed to separate from the third stage of the submarine-launched Volna missile and the planned test inflation of two Mylar solar sail blades on a 31min suborbital flight to 412km (255 miles) was not accomplished.
Mission officials hope that a full orbital demonstration flight of a pin-wheel shaped sail made of eight blades can still be made in October.
Solar sails, propelled by the sun's solar wind, could attain speeds of up to 600,000km/h (380,000mph) - 10 times the velocity of the Voyager and Pioneer interplanetary craft.
Source: Flight International