[ExI] NASA wants to visit Proxima Centauri

[Adrian Tymes]

Phase I studies are studies of how and if it could be done.  Almost
certainly, these will show how long the program must be kept in operation
with active input, which will be a deciding factor in preventing the
proposed mission from happening.

The Voyagers have only lasted as long as they have because they have needed
little maintenance: just some occasional software updates and coaching
through certain problems.  Also, no commitment was required decades in
advance: if the Voyagers shut down or broke up once they reached the Kuiper
belt, the primary science mission would still have been declared a success,
especially if any useful data could be obtained about why that termination
event happened.  Maintaining an active laser feed for decades before
obtaining much useful science seems beyond NASA's ability.

(But note that "before" qualifier!  A probe to study the interstellar
medium, that happens to be able to reach and study Proxima Centauri if it
lasts that long, is another story entirely.  The primary science mission,
and thus the initial commitment, would only have to last until shortly
after the probe crossed our system's heliopause.  Once that is
accomplished, the laser can be kept on until funding dries up, something
malfunctions, or - somehow - nothing goes too horribly wrong for decades
and the probe reaches Proxima Centauri.  However, that is not what is being
proposed here.)

On Sat, Jan 6, 2024, 3:30 AM BillK via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> Swarms of laser-flown bots visiting a planet light years away – and
> more NASA-funded projects revealed
> An electric airplane on Mars, micrograv hibernation, and plenty others
>
> Katyanna Quach       Sat 6 Jan 2024
>
> <https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/06/nasa_futuristic_technologies/>
>
> Quotes:
> NASA is funding 13 ambitious projects that could potentially lead to
> space missions one day, ranging from scanning for signs of life on
> Mars to exploring a nearby exoplanet with thousands of swarming
> spacecraft.
>
> Under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NAIC) program, the US
> space agency supports seemingly wacky ideas put forth by industry and
> academia that go beyond its near-term game plans. On Friday, it
> announced the 2024 Phase I awardees, who will each receive up to
> $175,000 to flesh out their designs, and draw up roadmaps for how
> their proposed technologies will or could be used.
> --------------
>
> BillK
>
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>
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