Carl Sagan dreamt of navigating the cosmos on sails pushed by gusts of sunlight, streaming out from our host star. 

The Planetary Society, led by CEO Bill Nye “the Science Guy,” is working to make this dream a reality, with the help of a small satellite no larger than a shoebox. These solar sails, which have been tested only a handful of times, may one day carry spacecraft to other planets, or perhaps even other star systems. 

Check out our video above, where Bill Nye breaks down how these spacecraft are able to sail on light from the Sun.

And read more about solar sail technology with our deep-dive into this 400 year old idea.