'19 gigaelectron volts': Interstellar travel might be closer than we think

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Spacebound Challenge

Sending a spacecraft to another star is daunting, but projects like Breakthrough Starshot and Tau Zero Foundation are pushing the boundaries of interstellar propulsion.

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Beaming Power

Researchers Jeffrey Greason and Gerrit Bruhaug explored relativistic electron beams for propulsion, aiming to push a spacecraft at a significant fraction of light speed.

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Probe Size

Unlike Breakthrough Starshot’s tiny probes, the study proposes spacecraft up to 1,000 kg, enabling more sensors and meaningful scientific data collection.

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Relativistic Beam

The proposed system, dubbed "Sunbeam," utilizes relativistic electron beams, leveraging particle physics to provide power far beyond current propulsion limits.

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Power Distance

Sunbeam’s calculations show it could propel probes up to 1,000 AU from Earth, far outlasting traditional laser propulsion methods.

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Speed Potential

A 1,000 kg probe powered by Sunbeam could reach 10% of light speed, making Alpha Centauri a 40-year journey within a human lifetime.

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Solar Statite

The concept relies on a solar statite, a theoretical structure hovering close to the Sun, stabilizing itself using solar and magnetic forces to form the powerful beam.

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Energy Demands

Powering such a beam requires up to 19 gigaelectron volts, a challenge feasible with today’s particle accelerator technology, such as the Large Hadron Collider.

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Sci-Fi Reality

Though in early stages, this concept shows interstellar travel within human lifetimes is possible, bridging the gap between science fiction and achievable science.

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