The development of technologies for sending spacecraft to other stars remains one of the main tasks of modern science. Projects like Breakthrough Starshot and Tau Zero Foundation are actively studying the possibility of using directed energy for interstellar flights. A recent publication, authored by Jeffrey Grison, chairman of the Tau Zero council, and Geralt Bryuhaug, physicist from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, proposes a new approach – the utilization of relativistic electronic beams to propel spacecraft.
The primary concern with such missions is the mass of the spacecraft. Breakthrough Starshot envisions miniature probes with large light sails that could be accelerated by a laser beam towards the star Alpha Centauri. However, these probes have limitations in terms of scientific data collection. Grison and Bryuhaug focused on developing a mission involving a larger probe weighing up to 1000 kg, comparable to the Voyager spacecraft from the 1970s but equipped with modern sensors.
The suggested method relies on the prolonged effect of relativistic electronic beams that can efficiently transmit energy over distances of up to 1000 astronomical units. This beam could propel the probe to speeds of up to 10% of the speed of light, potentially enabling the spacecraft to reach Alpha Centauri within 40 years. Such advancements would greatly expand scientific research opportunities beyond our solar system.
The successful realization of this concept would necessitate a groundbreaking technology known as solar statitis. This device would be capable of hovering above the surface of the sun, using light pressure and magnetic forces to maintain its position and generate energy beams sufficient to propel the spacecraft.
Despite the considerable technical hurdles ahead, the authors are optimistic that the proposed technologies are achievable with current scientific capabilities. Their work suggests that interstellar flights carrying valuable scientific payloads may become a reality within the foreseeable future, allowing for groundbreaking discoveries outside our solar system.