The Probe and the Particle Beam

by | Apr 2, 2014 | | 13 Comments

For those wanting to dig deeper into Alan Mole's 1 kilogram interstellar colony probe idea, the author has offered to email copies of the JBIS paper -- write him at RAMole@aol.com. For my part, writing about miniaturized probes with hybrid technologies inevitably calls to mind Freeman Dyson, who in his 1985 title Infinite in All Directions (Harper & Row) discussed a 1 kilogram spacecraft that would be grown rather than built. Here's Greg Matloff's description of what Dyson whimsically called 'Astrochicken': Genetically engineered plant and animal components would be required in Astrochicken. Solar energy would power the craft in a manner analogous (or identical) to photosynthesis in plants. Sensors would connect to Astrochicken's 1-gm computer brain with nerves like those in an animal's nervous system. This space beast might have the agility of a hummingbird, with 'wings' that could serve as solar sails, sunlight collectors and planetary-atmosphere aerobrakes. A chemical rocket...

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Small Probes, Hybrid Technologies

by | Apr 1, 2014 | | 20 Comments

Reducing the size of a starship makes eminent sense, and as we saw yesterday, Alan Mole has been suggesting in the pages of JBIS that we do just that. A 1 kilogram interstellar probe sounds like it could be nothing more than a flyby mission, and with scant resources for reporting back to Earth at that. But by Mole's calculation, a tiny probe can take advantage of numerous advances in any number of relevant technologies to make itself viable upon arrival. Just how far can nanotech and the biological sciences take us in creating such a probe? For what Mole proposes isn't just an automated mission that uses nano-scale 'assemblers' to create a research outpost on some distant world. He's talking instead about an actual human colony, one whose supporting environment is first guaranteed by nanobots and, in turn, the robots they build, and whose population is delivered through the hatching of human embryos or perhaps even more exotic methods, such as building humans from DNA formulae stored...

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Charter

In Centauri Dreams, Paul Gilster looks at peer-reviewed research on deep space exploration, with an eye toward interstellar possibilities. For many years this site coordinated its efforts with the Tau Zero Foundation. It now serves as an independent forum for deep space news and ideas. In the logo above, the leftmost star is Alpha Centauri, a triple system closer than any other star, and a primary target for early interstellar probes. To its right is Beta Centauri (not a part of the Alpha Centauri system), with Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon Crucis, stars in the Southern Cross, visible at the far right (image courtesy of Marco Lorenzi).

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If you'd like to submit a comment for possible publication on Centauri Dreams, I will be glad to consider it. The primary criterion is that comments contribute meaningfully to the debate. Among other criteria for selection: Comments must be on topic, directly related to the post in question, must use appropriate language, and must not be abusive to others. Civility counts. In addition, a valid email address is required for a comment to be considered. Centauri Dreams is emphatically not a soapbox for political or religious views submitted by individuals or organizations. A long form of the policy can be viewed on the Administrative page. The short form is this: If your comment is not on topic and respectful to others, I'm probably not going to run it.

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