2069 Alpha Centauri mission

In December 2017, NASA released a mission concept involving the launch, in 2069, of an interstellar probe to search for signs of life on planets orbiting stars in and around the Alpha Centauri system.^[1][2] The announcement was at the annual conference of the American Geophysical Union.^[3] The mission (proposed in May 2016^[4]) remains a concept, and as such, has no name or allocated funding.^[5]

An artist's depiction of a solar sail.

A preliminary mission outline suggests the use of solar sails^[4] propelled by high energy lasers to increase propulsion.^[4] The proposed launch would be on the 100th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.^[6] The spacecraft would reach Alpha Centauri by the year 2113, 44 years after its launch travelling at 10% of the speed of light.^[3]

See also

• Breakthrough Starshot – Interstellar probe project, private project proposed April 2016
• Starlight (interstellar probe) – UCSB study of fleet of small laser light sail interstellar probes
• Project Longshot – Spacecraft design