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You are here: Home / What we do / Technical / Project Lyra – Exploring Interstellar Objects

Project Lyra – Exploring Interstellar Objects

Project Lyra develops concepts for reaching interstellar objects such as 1I / 'Oumuamua and 2I / Borisov with a spacecraft, based on near-term technologies. But what is an interstellar object?

Laser sail spacecraft arriving at 'Oumuamua, the interstellar asteroid (Credit: Maciej Rebisz)

What is 1I/'Oumuamua and what is an Interstellar Object?

On October 19th 2017, the University of Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS 1 telescope on Haleakala discovered a fast-moving object near the Earth, initially named A/2017 U1. It is now designated as 1I/’Oumuamua. This object was found to be not bound to the solar system. It has a velocity at infinity of ~26 km/s and an incoming radiant (direction of motion) near the solar apex in the constellation Lyra. Due to the non-observation of a tail in the proximity of the Sun, the object does not seem to be a comet but an asteroid. More recent observations from the Palomar Observatory indicate that the object is reddish, similar to Kuiper belt objects. This is a sign of space weathering.

Discovery of the Second Interstellar Object, 2I/Borisov and Spacecraft Missions

When will such an object visit us again? End of 2019, a second interstellar object, 2I/Borisov was discovered, which is a comet. As 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov are the nearest macroscopic samples of interstellar material, the scientific returns from sampling the object are hard to overstate. Detailed study of interstellar materials at interstellar distances are likely decades away, even if Breakthrough Initiatives’ Project Starshot, for example, is vigorously pursued. Hence, an interesting question is if there is a way to exploit this unique opportunity by sending a spacecraft to 1I/’Oumuamua to make observations at close range.

Project Lyra and the Initiative for Interstellar Studies

Project Lyra logo
Logo for Project Lyra

To answer these questions, the Initiative for Interstellar Studies, i4is, announced Project Lyra on the 30th October 2017. The goal of the project is to assess the feasibility of a mission to 1I/’Oumuamua, 2I/Borisov and other potential interstellar objects, using current and near-term technology and to propose mission concepts for achieving a fly-by or rendezvous. The challenge is formidable: 1I/’Oumuamua has a hyperbolic excess velocity of 26 km/s, which translates to a velocity of 5.5 AU/year. It will be beyond Saturn’s orbit within two years. This is much faster than any object humanity has ever launched into space. Compare this to Voyager 1, the fastest object humanity has ever built, which has a hyperbolic excess velocity of 16.6 km/s. As 1I/’Oumuamua is already on its way of leaving our solar system, any spacecraft launched in the future needs to chase it. The challenge to reach the object could stretch the current technological envelope of space exploration.

Initial Expiditous Results of Project Lyra

After days of intense work, we (i.e. Andreas M. Hein, Nikolaos Perakis, Kelvin F. Long, Adam Crowl, Marshall Eubanks, Robert G. Kennedy III & Richard Osborne) have published some preliminary results on the 8th November 2017 for reaching the object within a timeframe of a few decades. The paper was published on arXiv and can be accessed here. Subsequently, our arXiv paper created a surge of media articles, which can be found below. It was a month or so later, on 15th December 2017, after these results were published, that the Project Lyra team was contacted by Adam Hibberd who appraised the team (via Andreas Hein) of the findings of his research. This analysis exploited his recent software development, 'Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software' (OITS). His discoveries using OITS were then incorporated into the paper and a revised version of the paper "Project Lyra: Sending a spacecraft to 1I/’Oumuamua (former A/2017 U1), the interstellar asteroid" was eventually accepted by the journal Acta Astronautica and was published on the 7th of January 2019 (find here for arXiv preprint and here for Acta version).

In the paper, we demonstrate that missions to 'Oumuamua are feasible with current and near-term technologies (Falcon Heavy or Space Launch System launcher, solid rocket motors, and Parker Solar probe heat shield), with an optimal launch date in 2021. However, this launch date would be too soon for developing a dedicated spacecraft, something that usually takes 5 to 10 years for an interplanetary mission.

Project Lyra spacecraft with heatshield for Solar Oberth Maneuver (Credit: Malavika Patel (3D model), Adrian Mann (rendering))

Discovery of Further, Later Launch Opportunities after 2024

Hence, in January / February 2019, our team has worked on potential missions after 2024, leaving enough time for spacecraft development. The results have been published on arXiv on the 14th of February. In this paper, titled "Project Lyra: Catching 1I/'Oumuamua - Mission Opportunities After 2024" (find here for preprint and here for Acta Astronautica version), we show that missions to 'Oumuamua are possible with current and near-term technologies much later than 2021, with opportunities coming up in 2030, 2033, and even later dates. Trip times are 17 and 16 years, respectively, with arrival dates in 2047 and 2049.

Conclusions

We conclude that a mission to 'Oumuamua and Borisov are feasible, not only technologically, but also from a spacecraft development perspective. 

In July and August 2020, we submitted two white papers to the 2023-2032 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey, one addressing the science of such missions and the second mission concepts.

Based on the white papers, a peer-reviewed journal paper was published in Advances in Space Research in 2021, exploring a broad range of mission scenarios to various types of interstellar objects.

A further peer-reviewed journal paper explores the use of nuclear thermal propulsion (preprint here and Acta version here) and an additional draft paper the use of laser sails, based on a prototype Breakthrough Starshot architecture. Both technologies would enable unprecedented missions (nuclear: sample return; laser: missions taking only months) to 'Oumuamua even decades into the future.

Further Project Lyra Investigations

With the publication of the 'Interstellar Probe Concept Report' by JHU APL on the 13th December 2021, they had switched their emphasis from the hitherto favoured Solar Oberth Manoeuvre (SOM) to a mission with either a passive (no-thrust) Jupiter flyby or a powered Jupiter flyby, i.e. a Jupiter Oberth Manoeuvre (JOM).

Inspired by this shift in emphasis, Adam Hibberd applied himself to researching missions to 1I/'Oumuamua using a JOM instead of a SOM. The result of this effort was a success - indeed there is an efficient and effective route to Jupiter entailing a series of planetary gravitational assists and which is followed by a JOM to accelerate the spacecraft to 1I/'Oumuamua. Thus on 11th January 2022, a paper was published on arXiv by the team in the form of Adam Hibberd, Andreas M. Hein, Marshall T. Eubanks and Robert G. Kennedy III, entitled:  'Project Lyra: A Mission to 1I/'Oumuamua without a Solar Oberth Manoeuvre'.

The paper outlines a mission scenario launching in 2028 which conducts a VEEGA sequence to get to Jupiter and then continues on to 1I/'Oumuamua arriving in the early '50s. This route naturally circumvents the requirement for a heat shield which would otherwise be needed for a SOM and which would take up considerable spacecraft mass, but nevertheless does have various drawbacks as elaborated in the paper.

Later that same year, 2022, Adam Hibberd discovered yet another trajectory exploiting a JOM but with a different sequence of planetary gravitational assists to Jupiter. The advantage of this option is that it requires barely any rocket thrust on the route to Jupiter (so it's essentially a free-ride) but the launch date is sooner: 2026. The paper has been written up on arXiv and is entitled 'Project Lyra: Another Possible Trajectory to 1I/'Oumuamua'

Countdown to Two Project Lyra Launches

Click here for the Countdown.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: Isn't 'Oumuamua already too far away to be chased down?

A: We show in multiple peer-reviewed journal papers (paper1, paper2, paper3) that it is possible to chase down 'Oumuamua even if the spacecraft is launched decades into the future. 'Oumuamua travels at about 26 km/s in interstellar space. The Voyager probes travel at about 17 km/s. However, it is widely known in the space community that with a combination of chemical propulsion and specific gravity assist maneuvers, velocities over 70 km/s can be achieved with existing or near-term technologies. At 70 km/s, the spacecraft will take over 'Oumuamua, as it is much faster than the object.

Q: Isn't 'Oumaumua already too faint and its position too uncertain to be intercepted?

A: We have determined that despite its positional uncertainty, it is feasible to observe 'Oumuamua from a spacecraft. We have studied the viability of this in the peer-reviewed 'Advances in Space Research' paper (Section 3.1). We have solutions for the orbit of 1I, including for its non-gravitational accelerations. Using the uncertainty in all of those parameters, we get that the uncertainty in 1I's position in the outer solar system will be a substantial fraction of a lunar distance, which is a large, but not unsurmountable, position uncertainty. We show that the same LORI telescope used for the New Horizons spacecraft to flyby Pluto can also be used to detect 'Oumuamua, given the positional uncertainty and low brightness due to its great distance from the sun.
Thus, we do not have to wait for the next ISO, we can successfully send a mission to intercept and observe 'Oumuamua. In so doing we can uncover its secrets which hitherto have been the subject of speculation and much scientific discourse. We have the technology to answer these questions.

Q: But does the spacecraft not burn up when it gets so close to the Sun for the Solar Oberth Maneuver?

A: We have shown in peer-reviewed publications that the distance to the Sun for the maneuver is similar to those for the Parker Solar Probe (~10 solar radii) and the same heatshield material can be used as on the probe. The main difference is the size of the shield but a similar heatshield is already existing and in use. For those who still think that this maneuver is too risky, we have recently published a paper proposing a mission which does not rely on a Solar Oberth Maneuver and can still reach 'Oumuamua at the same mission duration.

Q: Shouldn't we just wait for the next 'Oumuamua-like object?

A: We simply do not know how common 'Oumuamua-like objects are. Due to the absence of data, all current estimates have large uncertainties associated to them. There is a risk that we will miss a truly unique object.

Q: But there is a Harvard professor who says it is not possible to fly to 'Oumuamua any more.

A:  Prof. Loeb is an accomplished scientist with an impressive track-record. However, he is not an expert in space mission design. We have shown in multiple peer-reviewed journal papers (paper1, paper2, paper3), reviewed by experts from the space community and published in the best space journals, that it is possible to chase down 'Oumuamua even if the spacecraft is launched decades in the future. Prof. Loeb is also the Chairman of the Breakthrough Starshot Advisory Board. Our analysis shows that with a prototype Starshot laser beaming infrastructure, 'Oumuamua can be easily chased down decades into the future. We have also shown that tiny gram-scale spacecraft can detect Oumuamua despite its faintness. Hence, the claim that 'Oumuamua cannot be reached is factually wrong.

Q: Anyway, the mission would cost too much!

A: Our research has shown that spacecraft the size of the New Horizon probe can accomplish the mission to 'Oumuamua. The New Horizons mission has cost about 780 million $. This sounds like a lot but it is actually cheap for a deep space mission. Cassini Huygens has cost 3.26 billion $, for example. However, due to the extraordinary nature of 'Oumuamua, the discoveries we would make will be truly disruptive in any case.

Q: Who will pay for such a misson?

A: This is still an open question, as ideas for missions have to go through
a rigorous selection process if a space agency would pay for it. A precondition is that the scientific community backs such a mission. If sufficient backing exists, the mission would enter the selection process. We are currently working on generating traction within the scientific community for such a mission. While a dedicated mission to 'Oumuamua has not yet gone beyond a feasibility analysis, the Comet Interceptor mission of the European Space Agency has already incorporated a mission objective on reaching an interstellar object, which by chance would enter our solar system at the right moment. It would intercept such an object in case it does not find an adequate long-period comet to explore during its nominal mission duration.

Project Lyra Publications

Hibberd, A., Hein, A., Eubanks, M., & Kennedy III, R. (2022). Project Lyra: A Mission to 1I/'Oumuamua without Solar Oberth Manoeuvre. arXiv preprint arXiv:2201.04240.

Hibberd, A., (2022). Project Lyra: Another Possible Trajectory to 1I/'Oumuamua. arXiv preprint arXiv:2205.04693

Hein, A.M., Eubanks, T.M., Hibberd, A., Fries, D., Schneider, J., Lingam, M., Kennedy, R., Perakis, N., Dachwald, B. and Kervella, P., 2020. Interstellar Now! Missions to and Sample Returns from Nearby Interstellar Objects. Advances in Space Research
Volume 69, Issue 1, 1 January 2022, Pages 402-414

Hibberd, A., & Hein, A. M. (2021). Project Lyra: Catching 1I/‘Oumuamua–Using Nuclear Thermal Rockets. Acta Astronautica, 179, 594-603.

Eubanks, T. M., Schneider, J., Hein, A. M., Hibberd, A., & Kennedy, R. (2020). Exobodies in Our Back Yard: Science from Missions to Nearby Interstellar Objects. arXiv preprint arXiv:2007.12480.

Hibberd, A., & Hein, A. M. (2020). Project Lyra: Catching 1I/'Oumuamua--Using Laser Sailcraft in 2030. arXiv preprint arXiv:2006.03891.

Hibberd, A., Perakis, N., & Hein, A. M. (2021). Sending a spacecraft to interstellar comet 2I/Borisov. Acta Astronautica, 189, 584-592. arXiv:1909.06348

Hibberd, A., Hein, A. M., & Eubanks, T. M. (2020). Project lyra: Catching 1i/‘oumuamua–mission opportunities after 2024. Acta Astronautica, 170, 136-144. arXiv preprint arXiv:1902.04935.

Hein, A.M., Perakis, N., Eubanks, T.M., Hibberd, A., Crowl, A., Hayward, K., Kennedy III, R.G. and Osborne, R., 2019. Project Lyra: Sending a spacecraft to 1I/’Oumuamua (former A/2017 U1), the interstellar asteroid. Acta Astronautica, Volume 161, August 2019, Pages 552-561.

Our Project Lyra videos

Can We FLY to 'OUMUAMUA???

‘Oumuamua interstellar

Project Lyra in videos

LPIndie - "Oumuamua Mission geplant - Sonden sollen Objekt einholen und untersuchen" (21 Jan. 2022)

Sonnenseite - "Das Geheimnis des ersten interstellaren Objekts konnte aufgeklärt werden" (17 Jan. 2022)

John Michael Godier - "An Interstellar Comet? C/2019 Q4 Comet Borisov" (19 Sept. 2019)

Big Universe - Chaîne Espace et Astronomie: "Explorer Oumuamua - 5 Minutes pour parler #8 - Big Universe" (1st July 2018)

Karen J. Meech - TED Talk: The story of 'Oumuamua, the first visitor from another star system  (April 2018)

Улица Шкловского: "Оумуамуа - Почему первый встречный межзвёздный астероид такой формы?" (27th Feb. 2018)

Scott Manley: 'Oumuamua - The Interstellar Interloper - Update

Curioso News: "Interceptar OUMUAMUA, o asteróide interestelar - Projeto Lyra | Ed.Extra 036", (25th November 2017)

John Michael Godier: Interstellar Asteroid A/2017 U1 Update for 11/17/2017

MultiOmzz: Project lyra, a mission to chase down that interstellar asteroid

Interceptar OUMUAMUA, o asteróide interestelar - Projeto Lyra | Ed.Extra 036

Astronomiaweb: ¡Quieren enviar una Nave Espacial al Asteroide Oumuamua!

Project Lyra in the media

Universe Today: "If Launched by 2028, a Spacecraft Could Catch up With Oumuamua in 26 Years" (20 Jan. 2022)

Newsweek: "'Oumuamua Alien Theories Explained as Scientists Propose Visiting Mysterious Object" (20 Jan. 2022)

Forbes: "NASA To ’Oumuamua? The New 22 Year Mission To The Extraordinary Object Said To Be An ‘Alien Solar Sail’" (18 Jan. 2022)

Universe Today: "We Have the Technology to Retrieve a Sample From an Interstellar Object Like Oumuamua" (25 Aug. 2020)

Space Ref: "Interstellar Now! Missions to and Sample Returns from Nearby Interstellar Objects" (19 Aug. 2020)

Discover Magazine: "How to Explore the Stars Without Ever Leaving Home" (1 Jul. 2020)

Wired: "Should Earthlings chase 'Oumuamua into interstellar space?" (12 Mar. 2020)

NBCNews: "Visitors from deep space are buzzing our solar system. The race is on to explore them." (17 Oct. 2019)

ScienceNews: "How the second known interstellar visitor makes ‘Oumuamua seem even odder" (14 Oct. 2019)

Technologie Média: "Une sonde sera lancée pour analyser la comète Borisov" (6 Oct. 2019)

New Scientist: "We can send a probe to interstellar comet Borisov – but not until 2030" (6 Oct. 2019)

National Geographic: "Interstellar comet starts coming into focus" (6 Oct. 2019)

Yahoo!News: "恒星間天体らしき「ボリソフ彗星」を追跡する探査機打ち上げは、まだ間に合うかも" (21 Sept. 2019)

Fox News: "Newly discovered interstellar visitor could be intercepted, study says" (20 Sept. 2019)

Space.com: "We Could Chase Down Interstellar Comet Borisov by 2045" (20 Sept. 2019)

NewsBeezer: "We could hunt an interstellar comet until 2045" (20 Sept. 2019)

Nouvelles du monde: "Nous pourrions poursuivre la comète interstellaire Borisov d'ici 2045" (20 Sept. 2019)

Ciel & Espace: "Comment intercepter C/2019 Q4 Borisov, la première comète interstellaire ?" (20 Sept. 2019)

Univision: "Un segundo objeto interestelar visita nuestro sistema solar y anima a los científicos a viajar hacia él" (19 Sept. 2019)

SCIENCEmag.cz: "C/2019 Q4 Borisov: mohli bychom na mezihvězdné kometě zkusit přistát?" (19 Sept. 2019)

Room: "Researchers calculate feasibility of sending a probe to C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)" (18 Sept. 2019)

Numerama: "Faudrait-il envoyer un vaisseau vers la comète Borisov, qui pourrait être le prochain visiteur interstellaire ?" (18 Sept. 2019)

Phys.org: "Could we intercept interstellar comet C/2019 Q4 Borisov?" (18 Sept. 2019)

Universe Today: "Could We Intercept Interstellar Comet C/2019 Q4 Borisov?" (17 Sept. 2019)

Centauri Dreams: "Could We Send a Probe to C/2019 Q4 (Borisov)?" (16 Sept. 2019)

P.M. Magazine: "'Oumuamua - Der erste Besucher" (July 2019)

Physics World (IOP): "Visitor from another star" (February 2019)

NBC News: "What is Oumuamua? Here's what we know about the interstellar object" (28 Jan. 2019)

AgoraVox: "‘Oumuamua, une mission spatiale à la poursuite de l’engin extraterrestre ?" (22 Jan. 2019)

Phys.org: A radio search for artificial emissions from 'Oumuamua (5th Dec. 2018)

Universe Today: "Interstellar Asteroid ‘Oumuamua Had a Violent Past" (16th Feb. 2018)

Universe Today: "Breakthrough Listen is Going to Scan 'Oumuamua, You Know, Just to be Sure it's Just an Asteroid and not a Spaceship" (11th Dec. 2017)

IEEE Spectrum: "How We Could Explore That Interstellar Asteroid" 29th Nov. 2017)

Scientific American: "SpaceX’s Planned Giant Rocket Could Chase Down Interstellar Asteroid" (29th Nov. 2017)

Universe Today: "Project Lyra, A Mission to Chase Down That Interstellar Asteroid" (23rd Nov.2017)

Technology.org: Interstellar Asteroid ‘Oumuamua Had a Violent Past (16th Feb. 2018)

НОВОСТИ КОСМОСА И АСТРОНОМИИ: ТАИНСТВЕННЫЙ МЕЖЗВЕЗДНЫЙ ОБЪЕКТ СОВЕРШАЕТ ХАОТИЧНЫЕ ВРАЩЕНИЯ (14th Feb. 2018)

DoubleHelix: "Interstellar Trveler Pays Us a Visit" (6th Feb. 2018)

ไทยรัฐ: "ตกลงคืออะไร? วิเคราะห์อย่างนักวิทย์ อูมัวมัว วัตถุแรกนอกระบบสุริยะ หรือยานมนุษย์ต่างดาว" (21th Jan. 2018)

Sina新浪科技: "SpaceX的巨型火箭或有能力让探测器追上“奥陌陌”" (4th Jan. 2018)

Agenzia Giornalistica Italia: "Alla ricerca di segnali radio extraterrestri dall'asteroide interstellare ‘Oumuamua" (13rd Dec. 2017)

The Void Above: "Visitor from Above"

Dans La Lune: "Oumuamua - Un Visiteur Venu D'ailleurs" (26th Dec. 2017)

KIJK: "Kunnen we ‘Oumuamua nog van dichtbij bestuderen?" (23rd Dec. 2017)

Newsru.com: "Ученые из проекта Мильнера проверят, не является ли межзвездный астероид Оумуамуа кораблем пришельцев" (12th Dec. 2017)

163gorod.ru: "В космосе обнаружили корабль пришельцев в астероиде «Оумуамуа»" (12th Dec. 2017) 

SciencePost: "Le Projet Lyra vise à chasser ce nouvel intrus venu d’ailleurs" (1st Dec. 2017)

New Atlas: "How do you catch an interstellar asteroid? Go fast ... really, really fast" (26th Nov. 2017)

London Review of Books: "From a Distant Solar System" by Nick Richardson

Rambler: "10 самых громких историй о космосе в 2017 году " (5th Dec. 2017)

Outer Places: "SpaceX's Big Falcon Rocket Could Explore Interstellar Asteroid 'Oumuamua" (30th Nov. 2017)

Phys.org: "Project Lyra, a mission to chase down that interstellar asteroid" (24th Nov. 2017)

Asteroid Day: "Project Lyra, A Mission to Chase Down That Interstellar Asteroid" (24th Nov. 2017)

Inquisitr: "Exciting Project Lyra Initiative Aims To Send Probe To Interstellar Asteroid ‘Oumuamua For Closer Study" (24th Nov. 2017)

News.com.au: "Oumuamua: Race to examine Earth’s first interstellar visitor" (25th Nov. 2017)

ScienceAlert: "Astronomers Want to Send a Probe to That Interstellar Asteroid, But There's a Catch" (24th Nov. 2017)

Tech2: "Project Lyra, a Mission to Pursue that Interstellar Asteroid" 

MIT Technology Review: "The Best of the Physics arXiv (week ending November 18, 2017) -  This week’s most thought-provoking papers from the Physics arXiv (18th Nov. 2017)

Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE: "Project Lyra Study: Intercepting Spacecraft for Interstellar Asteroid" (24th Nov. 2017)

Tech Times: "SpaceX Mars-colonization Rocket May Help Chase Interstellar Asteroid" (29th Nov. 2017)

The Science Page: "Project Lyra, a Mission to Chase Down that Interstellar Asteroid" (25th Nov. 2017)

PC-Tablet: "SpaceX BFR capable of chasing strange Interstellar asteroid ‘Oumuamua”, says study" (29th Nov. 2017)

The Macaulay Messenger: "Rendezvouz with an Interstellar Visitor: Never to Be Seen Again" (27th Nov. 2017)

Geektimes: "A Close Look at Project Lyra (Пристальный взгляд на проект Лира)" (26th Nov. 2017)

ryb.ru: "Ученые: Догнать необыкновенный астероид удастся через 30 лет" (26th Nov. 2017)

Realist: "Проект «Лира»: как ученые хотят догнать первый межзвездный астероид в Солнечной системе" (26th Nov. 2017)

ITnan: "Догнать ?Oumuamua! Проект «Лира» " (25th Nov. 2017)

AboutSpaceJournal: "Проект Лира постарается поймать межзвездный астероид" (26th Nov. 2017)

pikabu: "Смогут ли зонды догнать межзвездный астероид Оумуамуа?" (26th Nov. 2017)

Hauka (offnews): "Можем ли да уловим междузвездния астероид Оумуамуа?" (26th Nov. 2017)

Future Sciences: "Projet Lyra : une sonde pour explorer l'astéroïde `Oumuamua ?" (29th Nov. 2017)

Fredzone: "OUMUAMUA : L’ASTÉROÏDE INTERSTELLAIRE BIENTÔT EXPLORÉ ?" (1st Dec. 2017)

PC.SK: "Projekt Lyra: výprava k medzihviezdnému asteroidu" (28th Nov. 2017)

LIGA: "Проект Лира: предложено лететь с парусом к межзвездному астероиду" (24st Nov. 2017)

La Ciencia de la Mula Francis: "La breve visita de ‘Oumuamua, el asteroide interestelar" (21st Nov. 2017)

Golem.de: "Ein Kernreaktor für Raumsonden"

Spider's Web: "Planetoida ‘Oumuamua jest fascynująca, ale prawdopodobnie nigdy do niej nie dotrzemy" 

Project Lyra scientific presentations

Karen Meech: "‘Oumuamua, our Solar System’s first (known) interstellar visitor " Institute for Astronomy SBAG - January 17, 2018

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Blog

A Precursor Mission to Proxima Centauri

31 October 2024

A Mission to Five Near Earth Objects in 2030 Adam Hibberd We at i4is, together with our collaborators on the Phase I NIAC (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) at Space Initiatives Inc., have been contemplating precursors to the ultimate mission of sending laser sails to swarm our nearest neighbouring star, Proxima Centauri. A summary of the […]

Deflecting Apophis

26 October 2024

Adam Hibberd There have been some developments. I have been addressing the problem of how to deflect Apophis from its path if it were indeed on a collision course with Earth. My Apocalypse Plot gives the magnitude of ΔV at different points in Apophis’s orbit to send it on a course to JUST strike the […]

Apophis: More Monolythical Mathematical Musings.

29 September 2024

Adam Hibberd Apophis gets awfully close on Friday April 13th 2029 (within GEO altitude). Its orbit is altered by the encounter with Earth and the obvious question is will there be any further possible encounters? Some of you may remember I have worked on the practicalities of sending laser-accelerated sails to intercept Apophis as it […]

Errors in Velocity Due to an Interstellar Probe’s Fast Encounter with a Star

23 July 2024

Adam Hibberd A spacecraft is travelling on a very hyperbolic orbit w.r.t. an object X (possibly a star) which has gravitational mass, μ, meaning the spacecraft is only slightly deflected from its direction of motion. Our task is to quantify the errors in velocity, both longitudinal and transverse, associated with this encounter compared to simply […]

‘Oumuamua: Lasers in Space

16 May 2024

Adam Hibberd In my latest research, I have been considering the case of using laser structures in space to accelerate space laser sails to sufficient speed so that they will ultimately reach the first discovered interstellar object, 1I/’Oumuamua, within a matter of years from launch, or even as soon as a year. This is clearly […]

Measurement of Mass by Space Sails

16 February 2024

Adam Hibberd I’ve been doing a little algebra. Let me state the problem. Let us say we have a swarm of space sails flying edge on to the interstellar medium (ISM). This swarm lies in a plane at right angles to its velocity relative to this ISM. Now lets bring in an element of the […]

Project Lyra Mission Guide

26 January 2024

Adam Hibberd I provide for you a chart of some missions to 1I/’Oumuamua investigated by Project Lyra. The green rows use chemical propulsion, the blue use nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) and the pink exploit laser sails. This table will be updated when new research becomes available. For more detail, zoom in with your mouse (Ctrl+scroll […]

Project Lyra: A Solar Oberth at 10 Solar Radii

5 January 2024

Adam Hibberd I have recently returned my attention to the Solar Oberth mission to ‘Oumuamua. For readers not familiar with this celestial body, 1I/’Oumuamua was the first interstellar object to be discovered passing through our Solar System, is now out of range of our most powerful telescopes and has left scientists with many questions in […]

Swarming Proxima

20 November 2023

Adam Hibberd Breakthrough Starshot is the Initative to send a probe at 20% light speed (0.2c) to the nearest neighbouring star Proxima Centauri. But how do we achieve such a high speed? It turns out that if we have an extremely powerful laser (and exponential advances in tech over the next decades will mean that […]

Laser and Sail in Earth Orbit with Evolutionary Neurocontrol

24 October 2023

Adam Hibberd In my last post I explained how my software development, Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software (OITS), seems to achieve miracles of intelligent design in a fashion analogous to evolution, though in fact with both cases evidently no intelligence is involved – instead simple mechanisms combined with iteration are at work. This concept stimulated me […]

OITS Takes on Evolution

10 September 2023

Adam Hibberd The more I think about evolution through natural selection the more I see analogues to my software development Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software. (I should make it clear at this early stage in my post that OITS does NOT employ a genetic/evolutionary algorithm approach, I shall elucidate below.) You see there is NO intent […]

How Close did ‘Oumuamua Approach Each of the Inner Planets?

2 September 2023

Adam Hibberd A view of the distance of ‘Oumuamua from each of the Inner Planets as it rounded the sun, reached perihelion and then sped away again. Mars was just about as far away as it could possibly have been from ‘Oumuamua. ‘Oumuamua came very close to Earth (around 0.16 au). It came no closer […]

Was Loeb’s Bolide Interstellar?

1 September 2023

Adam Hibberd Loeb’s interstellar spherules have caused controversy and indignation amongst experts in the science community. For those of you not-in-the-know, Loeb travelled to the site of a proposed interstellar meteor (his designation: IM1) which he had identified in a catalogue of bolides held by NASA and then discovered in the ocean tiny metallic blobs he […]

‘Oumuamua – a Sci-Fi Story or Reality?

23 August 2023

Adam Hibberd Let me tell you all a story. It is the story of life and its purpose. I ask you to bear with me here as Project Lyra and ‘Oumuamua will make an appearance eventually – I promise. Many of you will be familiar with the idea that the universe might be some kind […]

‘Oumuamua: The Mystery Unfolds

20 August 2023

Adam Hibberd Those of you who have been following my Project Lyra blogs know that I have over the past year or so done some extensive analysis of ‘Oumuamua’s trajectory. You may refer to previous posts on the i4is website to get an understanding of exactly what I have been up to, or alternatively continue […]

Psyche: OITS has Something to Say

18 August 2023

Adam Hibberd Here’s a mission to asteroid Psyche for you. Initial theories favoured Psyche as a core of a failed protoplanet, containing vast reserves of metals. More recent research, however favour alternative origin theories. Whatever is the case, we are about to discover its true nature and this would be a huge step forwards for […]

Project Lyra: Ignore the outlier and miss an opportunity

31 July 2023

Adam Hibberd Wouldn’t you like an answer to the question: What is ‘Oumuamua? There have been many theories, but there is no real consensus. The only way to answer this would be to send a spacecraft to observe ‘Oumuamua in situ but the total lack of will-power to get this question answered, in my view, […]

The Case of Fireball CNEOS 2017-10-09

28 July 2023

Adam Hibberd Around the middle of last year I read an article by Siraj and Loeb in which they analysed closely a database of bolides (which are meteor fireballs) maintained by NASA-JPL CNEOS (Center for Near Earth Object Studies). In so doing they identified at least one bolide as having an interstellar origin (designated CNEOS […]

Project Lyra: The Mission to Resolve a Mystery

4 July 2023

Adam Hibberd Project Lyra is the study of the feasibility of a spacecraft mission to the first interstellar object to be discovered passing through our Solar System, designated 1I/’Oumuamua. I have now authored and co-authored a total of nine Project Lyra papers. The considerable number of science papers (many now peer-reviewed, several still to be […]

Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software: The Secrets Revealed

25 June 2023

Adam Hibberd In the UK Spring of 2017, I derived the theory for solving interplanetary trajectories, which enabled me to develop a powerful software tool for optimising hight thrust spacecraft missions, a tool which I called Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software (OITS). For those of you fascinated by mathematics, in particular mathematical formulae, the two equations […]

Laser Sails: Trajectories Using Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software

16 June 2023

It struck me a while ago that I have developed this extremely effective tool for solving interplanetary trajectories (OITS), so how would I be able to exploit it for alternative applications – applications which would be beyond its originally intended purpose, that of designing trajectories for chemically propelled spacecraft (and in the process assuming impulsive […]

Mars Ride-Share: an Opportunity Not to be Missed

14 June 2023

Adam Hibberd I was recently discussing with my colleagues across the pond, the potential for mounting a cheap mission to some alternative, yet interesting destination in the inner Solar System, by exploiting a ‘ride-share’ with a more important mission, possibly one organised by NASA or ESA. It struck me that since there have been, and […]

C/2014 UN271 the comet which will NOT collide with the Earth

4 April 2023

Adam Hibberd An Oort cloud comet is composed primarily of dust and ice and has spent most of its life in the far-flung distant reaches of our Solar System (2,000 au to 200,000 au from our Sun). It is eventually nudged inward towards our Sun by gravitational influences such as galactic tides or some passing […]

Project Lyra: Falcon Heavy Expendable

27 March 2023

Adam Hibberd Following on from my previous blog where I studied the capability of the up-coming Ariane 6 4 launcher in terms of delivering a spacecraft on a course to intercept the first interstellar object to be discovered, ‘Oumuamua, I continue this logical progression with analysis of a more powerful launcher, the Falcon Heavy. The […]

Project Lyra: Using an Ariane 6

16 March 2023

Adam Hibberd Ariane 6 is the up-and-coming successor to the old Arianespace workhorse, Ariane 5, and may secure its maiden flight later this year. There will ultimately be two strap-on booster configurations from which to choose, one with two boosters, and the more powerful version with four. I thought it might be worthwhile assessing the […]

Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software (OITS)

15 February 2023

Adam Hibberd I started development of this software, OITS, in April 2017 on a holiday near the little town of Cheadle, in the county of Staffordshire, UK. I started from the very basics, deriving the theory during the holiday and continuing shortly thereafter, and then immersed myself in the implementation of the equations I had […]

Music of ‘Oumuamua

30 January 2023

Adam Hibberd If you have a fascination for the mysterious interstellar object ‘Oumuamua and are musically inclined, please check out these two pieces by my musician friend Robin Jax based on recordings of me playing two piano compositions of mine. Whether it be Robin’s neurodivergence, or my own schizophrenia, we have both overcome our respective […]

Things to Come

22 January 2023

Adam Hibberd I sometimes wonder at the short-sightedness of people. The sort of people who scoff and scorn at the far-sighted work which most of my work colleagues and I have dedicated a good deal of our lives to pursue, largely voluntarily. They may argue: We have such and such a problem NOW, how are […]

Project Lyra: Using Jupiter Alone to get to ‘Oumuamua

9 January 2023

Adam Hibberd Here is a ‘pork chop plot’ of missions to ‘Oumuamua using a Jupiter powered gravitational assist (or a Jupiter Oberth Manoeuvre, JOM). Refer to the Figure (1). Essentially, what we have are three coordinates where firstly the horizontal axis shows the launch date, the vertical axis shows the flight duration, and for every […]

‘Oumuamua: The State of Play

30 December 2022

Adam Hibberd In 2017, an interstellar object was discovered, the first ever to be detected. It was observed by the Hawaiian observatory Pan-STARRS, subsequently studied by many telescopes before disappearing into the distance in January 2018. An estimate on the number density, N (how many per unit volume), in interstellar space was determined based on […]

Why the Stars?

24 November 2022

Adam Hibberd November 2022 People may ask the question why we should venture beyond our solar system to explore the stars? Why should we commit precious resources to such an endeavour? I have an answer to this which may to some degree be a personal one. The question boils down to why are we curious? […]

Exploring ‘Oumuamua’s Trajectory – Further Notes

9 November 2022

Adam Hibberd November 2022 In my last blog I reported the progress of my work regarding the intriguing little conundrum of the first interstellar object (ISO) to be discovered, designated ‘Oumuamua, in particular my research into its orbit. In fact ‘Oumuamua is puzzling on many counts and I have also in a previous blog elaborated […]

Exploring ‘Oumuamua’s Perihelion Date

31 October 2022

Adam Hibberd October 2022 This blog may be a bit cheeky but do take heed of the last line before jumping to any conclusions! I’ve been mucking around with ‘Oumuamua’s orbit on my computer lately. Mucking around in the sense of playing with its orbital parameters and seeing what crops up. Those of you who […]

Members Newsletter – September

30 September 2025

Origins of Life: The Possible and the ActualIn Origins of Life: The Possible and the Actual (https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202508.1593/v1) researchers from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona (Ricard Sole), Santa Fe Institute USA (Chris Kempes) and University of York, UK (Susan Stepney) consider questions of how life forms, whether life is an inevitable outcome, and how diverse its presentation […]

Principium 50

1 September 2025

Principium 50 has gone out to subscribers and is now accessible to all.

Members Newsletter – August

29 August 2025

News from i4isOur US colleagues, led by Robert Kennedy, are now working with partners on another NASA NIAC Phase 2 study on betavoltaics as in our 2023 paper, Swarming Proxima Centauri: Optical Communication Over Interstellar Distances (https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.07061). And members may have noticed some fuss around the third known interstellar object, 3I/Atlas, which has included much input from our […]

3I/ATLAS: How low should we go?

21 August 2025

Adam Hibberd 3I/ATLAS, the interstellar object, is in the Solar System and making its presence known, not only to astronomers but also to the world’s media. My paper with Avi Loeb and Adam Crowl examined the hypothesis that 3I/ATLAS might be alien technology, go here. I confess this paper has been somewhat of a hit! […]

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Starship Blog

A Precursor Mission to Proxima Centauri

Deflecting Apophis

Apophis: More Monolythical Mathematical Musings.

Errors in Velocity Due to an Interstellar Probe’s Fast Encounter with a Star

‘Oumuamua: Lasers in Space

Measurement of Mass by Space Sails

Project Lyra Mission Guide

Project Lyra: A Solar Oberth at 10 Solar Radii

Swarming Proxima

Laser and Sail in Earth Orbit with Evolutionary Neurocontrol

OITS Takes on Evolution

How Close did ‘Oumuamua Approach Each of the Inner Planets?

Was Loeb’s Bolide Interstellar?

‘Oumuamua – a Sci-Fi Story or Reality?

‘Oumuamua: The Mystery Unfolds

Psyche: OITS has Something to Say

Project Lyra: Ignore the outlier and miss an opportunity

The Case of Fireball CNEOS 2017-10-09

Project Lyra: The Mission to Resolve a Mystery

Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software: The Secrets Revealed

Laser Sails: Trajectories Using Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software

Mars Ride-Share: an Opportunity Not to be Missed

C/2014 UN271 the comet which will NOT collide with the Earth

Project Lyra: Falcon Heavy Expendable

Project Lyra: Using an Ariane 6

Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software (OITS)

Music of ‘Oumuamua

Things to Come

Project Lyra: Using Jupiter Alone to get to ‘Oumuamua

‘Oumuamua: The State of Play

Why the Stars?

Exploring ‘Oumuamua’s Trajectory – Further Notes

Exploring ‘Oumuamua’s Perihelion Date

Members Newsletter – September

Principium 50

Members Newsletter – August

3I/ATLAS: How low should we go?

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