Fermi Explorer
| Country of origin | USA |
|---|---|
| Operator | The Fermi Explorer Mission |
| Applications | To travel to Alpha Centauri in 80,000 years |
| Specifications | |
| Spacecraft type | Spacecraft |
| Launch mass | 100kg |
| Dry mass | 30kg |
| Payload capacity | 1kg |
| Power | Solar electric propulsion |
The Fermi Explorer Mission is a proposed interstellar mission that plans to launch the first spacecraft to another star.[1][2][3] The project aims to launch a spacecraft before the end of 2029 and to send the spacecraft at least 99% of the distance to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the Sun.[4][3][5] The proposed journey will take approximately 77,000 years, which arrives at the ecliptic plane intercept and is the optimum for least fuel and cost.[4][6]
The mission is designed as a low-cost interstellar spacecraft, with a target budget of less than US$15 million for its design, construction, launch and operation.[1][2][7][4]
Organisation
[edit]The Fermi Explorer Mission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit initiative establish by Philip Johnston (Fermi Explorer CEO),[8] Adi Oltean and Ezra Feilden, who are also founders of the space technology company Starcloud, together with program manager and former US Air Force officer, Garrett Jameson.[2][1][4][7] The mission was announced on September 1st, 2026 and also has aerospace industry figures Rob Meyerson, former president of Blue Origin, and Jeff Thornburg, formerly head of propulsion engineering at SpaceX, as well as academics such as Alexander Wissner-Gross and entrepreneur Lauren Selig, as advisers.[1][4][9]
Mission
[edit]The mission was named after physicist Enrico Fermi, after whom the Fermi Paradox is named, since the mission is intended to make the idea of interstellar travel real, and to encourage more people to confront one of humanity’s biggest unanswered questions when we look beyond our planet: "Where is everybody?", also known as the Fermi Paradox.[3]
Fermi Explorer's primary objectives are to travel at least 99% of the distance to Alpha Centauri within 80,000 years, carry a payload of at least 1 kg, launch before the end of 2029, and remain within the project's US$15 million cost target.[4][1][10]
Alpha Centauri is approximately 4.4 light-years from Earth.[3][4] The mission's proposed trajectory would result in a closest approach to the system after approximately 77,000 years.[4][6] The project has proposed a trajectory intended to minimise fuel requirements and maximise the spacecraft's available payload.[4][5]
The proposed spacecraft is a small, solar-powered vehicle designed to use electric propulsion and largely flight-proven technology.[3][4][2] The spacecraft is expected to have a mass of approximately 100–200 kg and to reach a final heliocentric cruise velocity of about 23.6 km/s.[4][3] Its mission profile includes repeated close approaches to the Sun, with the spacecraft reaching approximately 0.42 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, followed by propulsion burns near perihelion to gradually increase its heliocentric velocity.[4][5][1] The spacecraft's planned configuration uses xenon as propellant, accounting for approximately 64% of its launch mass.[4]
Payload
[edit]The spacecraft is planned to carry a minimum payload of 1 kg within a 10 × 10 × 10 cm volume.[4][1][2] The proposed payload includes a copy of the Voyager Golden Record, as well as scientific instruments and artistic contributions selected through future solicitation programmes.[4][1][5]
The project has also proposed a programme allowing children from countries and regions around the world to contribute 300 characters in their own language to be carried aboard the spacecraft.[4][1]
Funding and feasibility
[edit]Fermi Explorer has set a target of less than US$15 million for the complete mission.[1][7][11] The project is funded through donations and has published a feasibility assessment addressing the technical and financial requirements of the proposed mission.[3][5][9]
The project estimates that the probability of complete mission success may be higher than the approximately 50% historical success rate it cites for new spacecraft, while advising potential donors to assume a probability of around 50%.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Boyle, Alan (1 September 2026). "Fermi Explorer team plans to launch a probe that will reach the star system next door … in 80,000 years". GeekWire. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Fernholz, Tim (1 September 2026). "If space data centers feel far-fetched, why not interstellar travel?". TechCrunch. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wall, Mike (1 September 2026). "Nonprofit wants to launch 80,000-year mission to Alpha Centauri in 2029 (video)". Space.com. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Frequently Asked Questions". The Fermi Explorer Mission. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Kim, Michelle (1 September 2026). "How AI plotted an interstellar journey to Alpha Centauri". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- 1 2 Berger, Eric (1 September 2026). "Private group wants to launch "cheapest possible" mission to Alpha Centauri". Ars Technica. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 Rainbow, Jason (1 September 2026). "Starcloud founders plot $15 million mission to Alpha Centauri". SpaceNews. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "Fermi Explorer co-founder talks mission to send interstellar spacecraft to neighboring star". NBC News. 2 September 2026. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- 1 2 Fermi Explorer: Feasibility Assessment (Report). Physical Superintelligence (PSI). 2026. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Kan, Michael (1 September 2026). "Want to Help Fund an 80,000-Year Journey? Nonprofit Wants to Send Space Probe to Alpha Centauri". PCMag. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Hindy, Joe (2 September 2026). "Are We There Yet? Startup Wants to Launch an 80,000-Year Mission to Alpha Centauri". CNET. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
External links
[edit]The Alpha Centauri system | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stars |   | |
| Planets | ||
| Proposed mission concepts | ||
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