Feb 2, 2017
$100 million Breakthrough Starshot small interstellar probe project will start funding technological development in a few months
Posted by Klaus Baldauf in categories: innovation, space
Leaders of the mission plan to start funding technology-development projects within months, with the aim of launching a fleet of tiny, laser-propelled probes in the next 20 years. The effort would ultimately cost about $10 billion, leaders hope, and take another 20 years to reach Alpha Centauri.
The first truly challenging step in any mission such as Breakthrough Starshot is to accelerate the spacecraft to interstellar velocities.