ISRO plans interstellar travel | Fusion - WeRIndia

Thus far, NASA has only sent out five spacecraft beyond the planets of our solar system, contrary to the optimistic predictions of half a century ago. However, interstellar travel may soon become a reality, thanks to the latest innovation by research astronomers.

This international project, called Breakthrough Starshot, is involving space research organizations from all around the world, including the Indian Space Research Organization (or ISRO).

These researchers are in the process of creating tiny interstellar spacecraft, known as sprites, which weigh only four grams and are only three and a half centimeters long.

They will eventually be launched into space to investigate our nearest solar system.

Breakthrough Starshot is one of the largest astronomical projects to date, costing millions and millions of dollars. It is funded by Russian technology investor Yuri Milner, along with additional support from famed scientist Stephen Hawking.

The eventual goal is to send an entire fleet’s worth of these sprites to our nearest star, Alpha Centauri, which is 4.37 lightyears away from the Earth.

Although these sprites are extremely small, they carry all the necessary equipment on just one circuit board, including miniscule sensors, solar panels, and computers. Six prototypes were already successfully launched into orbit around Earth on June 23rd of this year.

The plan is to accelerate these sprites with a laser, which will allow them to reach up to 20% of the speed of light. The journey to Alpha Centauri’s solar system will then take about twenty years, even with these extremely high speeds.

Once they reach the solar system, they will take images and readings of the star and its planet Proxima B, which is supposedly able to support life.

Once these readings are sent back to Earth, scientists will better know whether or not this planet will be able to sustain humans.

This project could be the next step toward human interstellar travel, and even establishing life on new worlds.

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