#SailInSpace - An idea once proposed by astronomer Carl Sagan for a ship that could 'sail' through outer space may become a reality after a crowdfunding campaign spearheaded by Bill Nye 'the Science Guy'.

As the Washington Post reports, the LightSail concept reached its Kickstarter goal of $200,000 in just 24 hours, and marks the first step towards what Nye hopes to be a prototype for an affordable 'people's spacecraft'.

LightSail uses fabric 'solar sails' that, rather than catching wind like they would on Earth's oceans, would catch photons from the sun's rays to slowly but surely propel tiny spacecraft through space.

While the concept is a long way from being a solution for human space travel, it could open up space exploration to hobbyists and students around the world and usher in a new era of discovery.

The Washington Post has more on the story HERE.