A method for manufacturing a translucent insulated glass panel comprising: a) providing a first glass plate, said first glass plate having preselected dimensions and area and having two faces, said first glass plate having outer edges, said outer edges defining a perimeter of said first glass plate; b) providing a spacer, said spacer being elongated and having a width and a first side and a second side; c) attaching said first side of said spacer to one of said two faces of said first glass plate inward of said outer edges, said spacer forming a continuous closed path on said first glass plate; d) providing a second glass plate, said second glass plate having preselected dimensions and area substantially identical to those of said first glass plate, said second glass plate having outer edges, said outer edges defining a perimeter of said second glass plate; e) attaching one of said two faces of said second glass plate to said second side of said spacer, said spacer being inward of said outer edges of said second glass plate to form a closed cavity between said first and second glass plates (10, 12); f) providing a hole through said spacer at a selected location between said outer edges of said first and second glass plates (10, 12); g) filling said cavity through said hole with translucent insulating material, said translucent insulating material being a translucent particulate aerogel; and h) sealing said hole to isolate said cavity from the ambient atmosphere; wherein: said spacer is a permanently collapsible spacer, and further comprising the step of permanently collapsing said spacer after sealing said hole to compress said translucent insulating material within said closed cavity by compressing the glass panel about its edges in order to permanently collapse the collapsible spacer by a desired amount, thereby compressing the aerogel to lock its component particles into fixed positions to prevent settling, and causing the first and second glass plates (10, 12) to bulge outward to a desired extent to maintain the aerogel in a compressed state. a) providing a first glass plate, said first glass plate having preselected dimensions and area and having two faces, said first glass plate having outer edges, said outer edges defining a perimeter of said first glass plate; b) providing a spacer, said spacer being elongated and having a width and a first side and a second side; c) attaching said first side of said spacer to one of said two faces of said first glass plate inward of said outer edges, said spacer forming a continuous closed path on said first glass plate; d) providing a second glass plate, said second glass plate having preselected dimensions and area substantially identical to those of said first glass plate, said second glass plate having outer edges, said outer edges defining a perimeter of said second glass plate; e) attaching one of said two faces of said second glass plate to said second side of said spacer, said spacer being inward of said outer edges of said second glass plate to form a closed cavity between said first and second glass plates (10, 12); f) providing a hole through said spacer at a selected location between said outer edges of said first and second glass plates (10, 12); g) filling said cavity through said hole with translucent insulating material, said translucent insulating material being a translucent particulate aerogel; and h) sealing said hole to isolate said cavity from the ambient atmosphere; wherein: said spacer is a permanently collapsible spacer, and further comprising the step of permanently collapsing said spacer after sealing said hole to compress said translucent insulating material within said closed cavity by compressing the glass panel about its edges in order to permanently collapse the collapsible spacer by a desired amount, thereby compressing the aerogel to lock its component particles into fixed positions to prevent settling, and causing the first and second glass plates (10, 12) to bulge outward to a desired extent to maintain the aerogel in a compressed state.