'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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