If space data centers feel far-fetched, why not interstellar travel?
The startup Starcloud has launched a non-profit initiative called Fermi Explorer, which aims to send a small spacecraft on an 80,000-year journey to Alpha Centauri. The project seeks to test the limits of interstellar travel using existing technology and a $15 million budget.
Why it matters
It represents a shift toward low-cost, long-term space exploration projects compared to previous, more expensive industry attempts.
The founders behind Starcloud , a startup with plans to operate a fleet of GPUs in orbit, have a new pitch for potential investors: A plan to send a tiny spacecraft on an 80,000 year journey to Alpha Centauri.
If they do it, it will be the first human-built object explicitly aimed for another star, and the sixth to leave our solar system.
Dubbed Fermi Explorer , the non-profit behind the mission emerged today to ask for partners, donations and advice. The initial team—Starcloud founders Philip Johnston, Adi Oltean, and Ezra Feilden, along with program manager Garret Jameson—has put together a plan to use proven space technologies to send a vehicle with a 10 cm square payload, weighing 1 kilogram, into interstellar space.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in