NASA wants to fly to alpha Centauri. But not until the year 2069
Source:
After a hundred years since the first landing on the moon space Agency NASA hopes (hopes, not plans) to send a research probe to study the nearest neighboring star system — alpha Centauri. On the agenda at the moment is one question: how actually to implement it?
Some exclusive details of the new project was revealed to the journalists of the portal New Scientist that literally elicited them from a small research group of jet propulsion Laboratory of NASA (JPL) after they have introduced the concept of his mission at the annual conference of the American geophysical Union. The fact that the project is in so early phase that he does not even have a name. Moreover, most of the technologies required for its implementation is just not there.
"While this is all very vague", — said the speaker at the conference, Anthony Freeman from JPL, introducing this concept at the conference in New Orleans.
Currently the only spacecraft left the Solar system, is "Voyager 1", which moves through interstellar space at a speed of 61,000 kilometers per hour. Despite the fact that alpha Centauri is just around the corner from us, of course, by galactic standards, its distance is 4.3 light years or 41.2 trillion kilometers. At the speed that moves "Voyager 1", on the journey to the system he would need almost 80 000 years.
A Team of NASA, hopes to develop technology that will allow us to accelerate an interstellar probe to 1/10 the speed of light. On the basis of which will build this technology — is completely unknown. Different sources, however, speculate on what such technology can include, for example, the use of lasers and micro-organisms . Among other theoretical possibilities considered the option of using nuclear reactions or reactions the collision of matter with antimatter. Again, we are talking about the project, which will start not before 2069.
Even if the future, NASA engineers will be able to create technology that could propel spacecraft to 1/10 the speed of light, the flight to alpha Centauri, and in particular to very interesting scientists on the planet of Proxima b probe will need 44 years. Moreover, the space Agency will have to work very hard if it wants to get there first, because the same desire is not just to be with him.
A Breakthrough Project Starshot is a non-governmental program science initiative group Breakthrough Initiatives, the development of which Russian billionaire Yuri Milner (one of the founders of the Breakthrough Initiatives) has allocated $ 100 million. The objective of the program is to send an interstellar probe to alpha Centauri. Among the most promising options is the use of a spacecraft in the form of a tiny plate, which is connected with the solar sail, the acceleration which they will deliver focused laser beams. It is assumed that in this design the spacecraft will be able to develop up to 20 percent of the speed of light.
Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is also participating in this project.
"With the help of laser beams, light sails, and the lightest ever created by a spacecraft we can fly to alpha Centauri within one generation" — said Hawking during a press conference at One World Observatory (new York, USA).
But before this ambitious plan will be translated into reality, the project, or rather its engineers will have to solve many different problems, including development of the necessary technologies.
The System alpha Centauri consists of three stars. Two of them, about the size of our Sun, revolve around each other, and the third is red dwarf around them. The recent discovery of Proxima Centauri b exoplanet the size of Earth and possibly suitable for life – has led scientists in a real delight. Researchers can't wait for more details to study it.
"the Wall facing us, is a great void between us and other stars. But we can go around. We can, because we – the people. To fly — given us by nature" — said Hawking.
Recommended
The Americans on the moon: what everyone should know?
the Upcoming cosmonautics day is my favorite holiday. It marks the triumph of the human mind: in just four thousand years Homo Sapiens went from hunter-gatherers to space explorers. 12 April 1961 Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in ...
Why are some galaxies spiral shaped?
you Know what surprised me the most? The fact that we perceive the surrounding world as it is. Animals, plants, the laws of physics and the cosmos are perceived by many people as something so mundane and boring that they invent fairies, ghosts, monst...
Astronomers were able to see the death of another star system
In the cosmic ocean drifts a lot of mysteries about the existence of which we are unaware. One of these was uncovered five years ago, when astronomers have discovered a lonely star at a distance of 570 light years from Earth, the brightness of which ...
Related News
Electric Roadster Elon musk is ready to fly around Mars
a Few weeks ago Elon Musk announced that within the first test launch of the carrier rocket, the Falcon Heavy as the payload will use its own "cherry" electric car Tesla Roadster. Some might then think that Musk's idea of a joke. ...
NASA has selected two new ambitious space mission
NASA space Agency has approved two new and interesting space mission. Within one scheduled landing of a flying spacecraft to Saturn's moon Titan, part of the other collection of soil samples from the surface of the comet. Both mis...
Elon Musk showed almost assembled booster, the Falcon Heavy
Elon Musk pictures almost fully assembled booster, the Falcon Heavy, which is at the spaceport Cape Canaveral in Florida (USA). Now we have the first opportunity to look at how will look the final result of years of work of SpaceX...
Manned spacecraft "Soyuz MS-07" successfully delivered cosmonauts to the ISS
Manned spacecraft "Soyuz MS-07" successfully docked to the International space station — the press service of the «Roskosmos». The ship arrived to the Russian segment of the International space station and then doc...
NASA tested the engine printed on a 3D printer
three-Dimensional printing is not only able to significantly reduce the cost of production, but also greatly facilitate the creation of many devices. Therefore, even large agencies are increasingly using when creating the device 3...
#photo of the day | Astronomers have shown that Mars "in full growth"
Scientists from the European space Agency has published a very unusual photo of Mars. The image was obtained orbital Martian probe Mars Express on 19 June, when the probe flew by the planet from North to South. The result was the ...
The Pentagon confirmed the existence of the program for the study of UFO encounters
If you are a fan of UFOlogy and science fiction television series the x-files, then this news surely will please you a lot. The Ministry of defense officially confirmed the existence of a program called "Advanced identification of...
10 reasons to believe in the existence of extraterrestrial life
Despite the skeptical views of the public majority, alien life forms – developed or at least simple – most likely exist somewhere in the vast expanses of the Universe. Moreover, many scientists agree that to deny it is pointless. ...
SpaceX successfully launched previously flown the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon truck
Today, the company SpaceX launched from Cape Canaveral, the Falcon 9 rocket with space cargo ship Dragon, which will deliver cargo to the International space station crew. For this mission, SpaceX used a missile almost entirely co...
Can you solve the space debris problem by adding the module to self-destruct?
People know how to launch stuff into space — but not really bring them back. In low earth orbit, along with thousands of working satellites, there is a lot of debris: space debris, space debris, debris in higher orbits. According ...
10 scientific phenomena without which you would not have been
Every day we have the choice to accept his life, his existence, freedom and moments for granted or to Express appreciation and gratitude for the good things that surround us. The main thing that unites us is that we all live in on...
A NASA spokesman: we are not discussing the purchase of additional flights on Soyuz
the U.S. space Agency kirk schirman reported that NASA does not plan to buy from «Roskosmos» space ships «Union» moon — Space News. At the conference on the future launch to the ISS ship Dragon company S...
The new Zealand launch of the rocket with three satellites failed
a Private company founded by a native of New Zealand, Peter Beck, conducted the first tests of its carrier rocket light class "Electron" in may of this year. The first commercial launch (combined with the second trial) was schedul...
Blue Origin conducted a launch of a new modification of the rocket New Shepard
Private aerospace company Blue Origin went back to launching rockets after almost a year break and successfully made the launch of the New Shepard, and then the successful landing of the crew capsule. Suborbital rocket was launche...
Donald trump wants to send Americans to the moon
While Elon Musk to transport humanity to Mars, and Russia about the alien resources, the 45th President of the United States Donald trump signed a new Directive, claiming a space program for sending American astronauts to the moon...
"And Baba Yaga is against": Russia wants to ban the extraction of resources in space
Russia plans next year to submit for consideration in the UN a question on change "of the outer space Treaty" and the introduction at the legislative level a ban on the extraction of mineral resources on asteroids and the moon for...
10 disgusting facts about space travel
the Idea of traveling in space seems attractive. Many of us dreamed of becoming astronauts or even the first people on Mars, someone in his childhood, and someone still. Who wouldn't want to reach for the stars? And there are a fe...
In Russia can create your own reusable "Falcon 9"
Russia has started to develop a reusable rocket of the middle class, which will be the response created by the company SpaceX Elon musk carrier rocket Falcon 9. The development of reusable rockets are engaged in RSC "Energia" and ...
Relativity Space: our rocket is the largest item, printed on a 3D printer
the Startup Space Relativity began to print boosters. Now experts managed to create an almost monolithic structure with a minimum of individual parts, most of which are embedded in the solid body of the rocket. Tim Ellis, head of ...
The Boeing company intends to overtake SpaceX and the first to land people on Mars
the Race for Mars is gaining momentum. CEO of Boeing, one of the world's largest manufacturers of aviation, space and military equipment, believes that megarocket, which his company helps to create space Agency NASA to deliver ast...
Comments (0)
This article has no comment, be the first!