Nonprofit wants to launch 80,000-year mission to Alpha Centauri in 2029 (video)
The Fermi Explorer Mission plans to launch a small, cheap probe to Alpha Centauri in the next few years, to inspire further exploration and help humanity contemplate its place in the universe.
A nonprofit called the Fermi Explorer Mission aims to launch the first interstellar spacecraft before the end of 2029. The mission, which will take around 80,000 years to reach its destination, will send a small probe toward the Alpha Centauri system, the sun's nearest stellar neighbor, located approximately 4.4 light-years away.
According to Philip Johnston, co-founder and president of the Fermi Explorer Mission, none of the crew members will be alive to witness the arrival of the spacecraft. The team hopes to inspire future generations and address the Fermi Paradox, a question that has gained greater significance in recent years due to the discovery of numerous exoplanets.
The Fermi Explorer Mission's spacecraft will weigh between 220 and 440 pounds (100 to 200 kilograms) on Earth and will employ electric propulsion, which is more efficient than traditional chemical thrusters. With a projected budget of less than $15 million, the mission aims to make the idea of interstellar travel a reality and generate valuable data to address the Fermi Paradox, which questions the absence of evidence for extraterrestrial civilizations.
Written by urgent.news from Space.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
