A research project called Breakthrough Starshot aims to send a probe to Alpha Centauri, our closest neighboring star system, using a lightsail and a laser beam array for interstellar travel. The spacecraft, powered by millions of lasers located on Earth, could potentially reach unprecedented speeds and travel to Alpha Centauri in just 20 years. The project’s team, based at the Australian National University (ANU), is developing a tiny probe with a lightsail that will be propelled by the laser array. The ANU team is working on several key technologies, including lightsails and a state-of-the-art laser array proposal. The success of the project could make interstellar travel a reality within our lifetimes and potentially provide new insights into distant planets.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightsail Powered By Millions of Lasers | Technological Advancement | Interstellar travel becomes feasible | Desire to explore and search for life outside our solar system |
| Traveling to Alpha Centauri in 20 Years | Travel Speed | Faster travel times for interstellar exploration | Advancement in lightsail and laser technology |
| Lightsail Prototype Utilizing Laser Beam Array | Propulsion System | Development of a new type of spacecraft propulsion system | Need for a propulsion system for interstellar travel |
| Laser Array Proposal Requiring Millions of Lasers | Laser Technology | Precisely training millions of lasers to work together in unison | Achieving the required optical power for the lightsail |
| ‘Guide Laser’ Satellite to Point Lasers at Lightsail | Laser Guidance System | Ensuring lasers stay pointed at the lightsail during the entire journey | Maintaining precise alignment of lasers |
| Breakthrough Starshot as Part of Global Collaboration | Collaborative Effort | Global collaboration on the ambitious project of interstellar travel | Joint effort to search for life outside our solar system |
| Elevating Humans to Interstellar Species | Human Achievement | Successful interstellar travel to Alpha Centauri | Pushing the boundaries of human exploration |