Project Hyperion
Project Hyperion, an initiative of the Initiative for Interstellar Studies (i4is), has launched a competition inviting public participation in designing a generation ship capable of interstellar travel. Generation ships, self-sustaining spacecraft designed to support human crews over centuries-long journeys, represent a viable solution for reaching exoplanets given the technological and logistical challenges of achieving near-light speeds.
The competition, open until December 15, 2024, encourages interdisciplinary collaboration among architects, engineers, and social scientists. Participants will design a spacecraft that accommodates 1,000 people for a 250-year journey, ensuring sustainability, habitability, and cultural preservation. The designs must include bio-regenerative life-support systems, artificial gravity, and accommodations for evolving societal needs. The competition emphasizes combining technological and societal considerations, offering prizes for the most innovative and practical concepts.
Project Hyperion builds on historical and modern research, including studies on population size, self-sustaining habitats, and propulsion systems like fusion thrusters. By addressing the interplay between technology and society, the initiative seeks to solve challenges unique to long-duration missions while also contributing to solutions for sustainability on Earth. The competition aims to inspire new ideas for space exploration and highlight the feasibility of interstellar travel, advancing both practical applications and humanity's understanding of its place in the universe. The Hyperion website is at https://www.projecthyperion.org/
There has already been substantial interest in the Project:
https://www.universetoday.com/169223/project-hyperion-is-seeking-ideas-for-building-humanitys-first-generation-ship/
https://www.leonarddavid.com/going-interstellar-generation-ship-competition/
https://newatlas.com/space/spaceship-architects-generation-ships-competition/
https://www.bild.de/leben-wissen/wissenschaft/fuer-reise-zu-neuer-heimatwelt-riesiges-generationen-raumschiff-geplant-672b916ee4a9904424a4577f
https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/sieht-so-die-zukunft-der-menschheit-aus-wettbewerb-mit-10000-dollar-preisgeld-sucht-raumschiff-in-dem-menschen-250-jahre-leben-koennen,3422897.html
https://www.ixbt.com/news/2024/11/06/project-hyperion-konkurs-na-sozdanie-korablja-pokolenij--dlja-mezhzvjozdnyh-puteshestvij-.html
Paul Gilster's long established Interstellar Studies blog - https://www.centauri-dreams.org/ - is also planning a series on the subject.
Avi Loeb’s Statement
A recent uptick in Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) has led the US Congress to launch a small investigation into the phenomenon. Avi Loeb, head of the Galileo Project at Harvard University, who had recently claimed to discover evidence of alien spacecraft, was invited but not called upon to testify, he shared the statement he had prepared on his Medium blog, highlighting recent scientific advancements under the Galileo Project. These include the analysis of half a million sky objects using machine learning and the retrieval of millimeter-sized fragments from the first confirmed interstellar meteor, IM1, during a Pacific Ocean expedition. Loeb underscores the potential significance of these studies for understanding the universe and extraterrestrial life.
Loeb also discusses historical anomalies like `Oumuamua and IM1, which exhibit characteristics inconsistent with natural solar system objects. He argues that even if only a fraction of UAPs are of extraterrestrial origin, their discovery would revolutionize humanity’s understanding of the cosmos. He emphasizes the importance of scientific data and urges federal agencies to allocate funds to UAP research, noting that such efforts would benefit both national security and humanity's place in the universe. The article concludes with Loeb drawing parallels to past scientific revolutions, advocating for a continued search for truth, and outlining the Galileo Project’s ongoing efforts to monitor the sky and oceans for further evidence of interstellar or extraterrestrial phenomena. The full article can be found here: https://avi-loeb.medium.com/avi-loebs-statement-on-uap-to-the-house-oversight-and-accountability-committee-3cc124e8cdd8.
Electric Propulsion for Interstellar Travel
On 28 October 2024, Nadim Maraqtim et al released their International Astronautical Congress paper titled “Advanced Electric Propulsion Systems with Optimal Specific Impulses for Fast Interstellar Precursor Missions,” affiliated with i4is. Interstellar exploration is in its early stages, but its potential scientific and cultural impact is immense. To support upcoming interstellar missions, advanced propulsion systems are critical for achieving the high speeds (delta-V) needed and for allowing larger payloads. However, the best propulsion system depends on the specific mission requirements.
This study uses the non-dimensional Tsiolkovsky equation to optimize the combined payload and structural mass fraction of spacecraft based on factors such as specific impulse (efficiency of propulsion), specific power, thruster efficiency, transfer time, and required delta-V. Three mission scenarios are analyzed under the assumption of an advanced power source with a specific power of 1,000 W/kg and a thruster efficiency of 97%: a round trip to Jupiter, a rendezvous with Pluto, a mission to the solar gravitational lens focal point (beyond 500 AU from the Sun). For each mission, the study identifies the ideal specific impulse to maximize the payload mass fraction, the corresponding transit time, the type of electric propulsion system that could achieve these goals, and the total spacecraft mass assuming a launch with NASA's Space Launch System Block 2. The results show that advanced electric propulsion systems could significantly increase payload capacity and reduce travel times compared to conventional methods, making interstellar precursor missions more feasible. The full paper can be found here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385172298_Advanced_Electric_Propulsion_Systems_with_Optimal_Specific_Impulses_for_Fast_Interstellar_Precursor_Missions.
Metasurface Materials for Light Sails
On 17 October 2024, Cornell’s preprint server ARXIV released a paper titled “Analyzing the acceleration time and reflectance of light sails made from homogeneous and core-shell spheres” by Mitchell R. Whittam et al. Selecting appropriate materials and designs for light sails, such as those envisioned in the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative, is a critical and complex challenge. This study proposes a potential solution using "metasurfaces" composed of periodically arranged microscopic spheres. These spheres are made from materials like aluminum, silicon, and silicon dioxide.
The research applies Mie theory, a method used to understand how light interacts with small structures, to evaluate the metasurfaces’ ability to reflect light, absorb heat, and enable efficient acceleration. The findings highlight the effectiveness of metasurfaces made from silicon spheres combined with an added silicon dioxide layer. This design demonstrates strong broadband reflectance due to the constructive interference of light waves while maintaining low absorption. Furthermore, the study shows that the metasurfaces retain over 90% reflectance even when placed in embedding materials with refractive indices up to 1.13, without requiring significant re-optimization. The full paper can be found here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.13494.
Solving the Fermi Paradox
Douglas C. Youvan released a preprint titled “Gravitational Void Theory: A Novel Solution to the Fermi Paradox and the Limits of Cosmic Civilization” on 2 November 2024. The Fermi Paradox presents a puzzling question: if the universe is vast and potentially full of life, why have we not detected any signs of extraterrestrial civilizations? One possible answer lies in Gravitational Void Theory. This theory posits that advanced civilizations capable of nullifying gravity could create vast "gravitational voids," regions devoid of structured matter due to the absence of
gravitational cohesion. These voids could either result from accidental experimentation or deliberate cosmic engineering, leading to the collapse of star systems and the dispersal of matter, erasing the conditions needed for complex life. If such technology represents a "Great Filter" for civilizations, it could explain the silence we observe in the cosmos.
The existence of gravitational voids suggests profound ethical challenges for civilizations: the need for restraint and cosmic responsibility. This paper explores gravitational voids as a potential solution to the Fermi Paradox, examining the limits of technological advancement and the cosmic-scale consequences of wielding such transformative power. The full paper can be found here: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.30094.78401.
Studying Interstellar Objects
Cornell’s preprint server ARXIV published a paper titled “Information-Optimal Multi-Spacecraft Positioning for Interstellar Object Exploration” by Arna Bhardwaj et al on 14 November 2024. Interstellar objects (ISOs) are astronomical objects that travel through space without being bound to the Sun's gravity. These objects offer valuable insights into the formation and composition of the universe. However, detecting and studying them is challenging because their appearances are unpredictable, and their positions and movements are uncertain.
This paper introduces a new framework that uses multiple spacecraft to study ISOs more effectively. The method ensures that information collected during ISO encounters is maximized, even with large uncertainties about the object's location. The approach relies on a mathematical system that predicts where an ISO is likely to be, represented as a three-dimensional ellipsoid. It ensures this uncertainty is managed efficiently using advanced probabilistic techniques. The proposed framework determines the best positions for multiple spacecraft around the predicted ISO location to capture the most useful data, such as visual images, while considering factors like spacecraft camera capabilities and the uncertainty of the ISO’s position. Simulations using hypothetical ISOs show that this method effectively allows each spacecraft to decide where to go and how many areas of interest to study, maximizing the scientific return while minimizing resource use. The full paper can be found here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.09110.
Transversable Wormholes
Chavis Srichan et al published a preprint on 25 October 2024 titled “New Feynman Path Integral: Towards its Application to Black Holes and Traversable Worm Hole (ER=EPR)”. This article presents a new approach based on Feynman’s path integral method, extending it into curved spacetime to explore its implications for black hole physics. The study suggests that black holes might not represent the end of gravitational collapse but could instead play a role in the formation of new universes.
The researchers analyze both rotating (Kerr) and non-rotating (Schwarzschild) black holes. They propose that rotating black holes could create traversable wormholes without requiring exotic particles, while non-rotating black holes might lead to the formation of entirely new universes, based on their interpretation of the path integral method. Additionally, the study outlines a method to create wormholes between two points in interstellar space using qubits, providing evidence supporting the theoretical equivalence of Einstein-Rosen bridges (wormholes) and quantum entanglement (ER=EPR). This work is a preliminary exploration with potential implications for both theoretical physics and interstellar travel. The full paper can be found here: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.31861.79849.
