How do you think we can get to Proxima b?

[alfa015]

Soo.. the other day I read that the Alpha Centauri system might have several exoplanets apart from Proxima b.. so I looked for info about the Starshot project and found out that the team launched in July a 3.5 x 3.5cm satellite weighing 4 grams.. this encourages me to believe that the project can actually be achievable.. what do you guys think? do you think that a faster interstellar travel system will be developed even sooner?

I decided to make a video on this exciting topic and I would like to share it with you guys: http://youtu.be/jF2juqeDa-E

I honestly can't wait 44 years for receiving the first images of Proxima b, I would be 70 years old. There must be another way of getting there sooner.

[xelasnave]

Interesting.
Alex

[glend]

Don't you sleep anymore Alex? It is a waste of valuable time for us old folks.

[glend]

That is not long to wait, i will certainly be long dead before then; well unless someone wants to accelerate me to light speed for the trip to Proxima for a look see.;)

[Tropo-Bob]

I watched the video and think that such Sail-probes will mostly lose their energy input by simply spinning rather than gathering pace to travel at 20% of the speed of light.

[clive milne]

Uber

[xelasnave]

Yes I do sleep most nights its just that last night I did not seem to be able to nod off.

This idea needs a square klm array...do we have such an array?

The contractors must be rubbing their hands together if one needs to be built.


What are the chances of such a project being sucessful... I mean getting there ...economically its a great idea as many folk should profit.

alex

[el_draco]

Get yourself a big light bucket...
7 years from now, we may have this (https://www.eso.org/public/australia/teles-instr/elt/) to play with... :D and there are more to come. :thumbsup:

[FlashDrive]

I'll be 106 by then :D

It's been said we are living longer :D

Might get to see it ....:D

[raymo]

I don't think I've got a chance, I'll be well into my 120s by then.
raymo

[xelasnave]

We need to increase the area of the array and the output energy and accelerate the craft to a more acceptable level of speed and hence time to wait...
Lets get the sucker going at 90 % of the speed of light.
alex

[raymo]

Allowing for acceleration and deceleration, I'd still be well into my 90s.
raymo

[xelasnave]

Would deceleration occur and if so at what rate...I doubt if they have anything to slow it.
alex

[xelasnave]

I guess no gravity assist would be employed and that the craft would have to be set upon a straight line leading to a point where the target will arrive in the exact number of years. Like leading on a target shoot I expect.
I think they should send a few again a bit like a target shoot.. I mean how hard will it be to determine where the thing should point...be interesting to plan such a shot.

alex

[raymo]

I hadn't watched the video when I did my previous post, but there would seem to be no way that it could decelerate, as it doesn't have any on
board method of propulsion.
raymo

[xelasnave]

I predict contrary to all who will disagree that it must slow as it encounters the eather that isnt there.

A good test to cross reference the finding upon why Pioneer slowed.

alex

[xelasnave]

Over such a journey it must encounter some mass even if a couple of atoms here or there . bits of dust.. . those encounters may well add up to slowing it up maybe ..I wonder would they factor that in?
alex

[raymo]

Yes Alex, all coasting space vessels are slowly but surely slowed by the
collisions you mentioned. As, in this instance, the craft are being
propelled, they would maintain their speed until the propulsive force over
time and distance became less powerful than the aforementioned braking
force. I imagine that it would have been factored in. I'm guessing that
once the craft left the comparatively crowded solar system, the rate
of deceleration over such a short trip would not be significant.
raymo

[Regulus]

I'm gonna ride one of my Unicorns.
:lol:

[LewisM]

Hang on, did I miss the speed calculations, because your age postulation assumes a 1 year trip...

;):P:welcome:

[gary]

See also this thread from June last year which includes links to additional reading :-

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=146390

Updated link to the April 2016 conference by the proponents :-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwVPrEWdIfI

[FlashDrive]

Just for your benefit .... 62 + 44 = 106

Pensioner ....:D

[LewisM]

In your parallel universe...