Stephen Hawking & Yuri Milner announce first extra-solar mission to Alpha Centauri
Posted on: April 12, 2016 - 3:28pm
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Stephen Hawking & Yuri Milner announce first extra-solar mission to Alpha Centauri
Tuesday's announcement, made with cosmologist Stephen Hawking, comes less than a year after the announcement of Breakthrough Listen. That decade-long, $128 million ($100 million US) project, also backed by Milner, monitors radio signals for signs of intelligent life across the universe.
Breakthrough Starshot involves deploying small light-propelled vehicles to carry equipment like cameras and
communication equipment. Scientists hope the vehicles, known as nanocraft, will eventually fly at 20 per cent of the speed of light, more than a thousand times faster than today's spacecraft.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/breakthrough-starshot-1.3532102
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
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they should send fewer but larger probes. The smaller in larger numbers would mean at least a few would get there or alot closer before they stop working, The larger would beable to have more operating, and "send back info" power. 6 one way, half a dozen the other, but the larger would have more capability. (more gadgets).
The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.
https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers
Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist
Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth
Larger probes have more things that can go wrong, are more likely to impact objects, and require a LOT and I mean A LOT more power. I'm not going to do the math for absolute accuracy but doubling the size of the probes would increase the necessary power requirements by more than 400%. We're talking 20% of light speed, not a walk down the block.
Smaller is better.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
The more there are the more likely some will get there. I seen on PBS news they plan to propel them with lasers on the earth. Not a bad idea but how will they maintain accruacy. I'm thinking the lasers would work for quite a distance, but maybe they'll be up to speed at reasonable distance then won't need further propulsion.
The only possible thing the world needs saving from are those running it.
https://sites.google.com/site/oldseers
Knowledge trumps faith and I'm not a Theist
Lies are nothing more then falsehoods searching for the truth