On the problem of getting a signal from the small probe over the light years:Since they are planning to make lots of those probes anyways, couldn't they just send them one by one, making a trail of them from here to Centauri. That way each probe would only need to be able to get the signal to the one behind it. Enough of the probes and the distance between two of them would become short enough.Plus, you would get more observations from the multiple flybys that would follow, for as long as you would keep sending the probes so that the distance between the Earth and the last probe sent wouldn't become too long.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I, for one, would like to know own the effect of these lasers on our ozone layer, and on objects in orbit.
Some of the challenges and possible solutions are listed here: http://www.breakthroughinitiatives.org/Challenges/3I think it would be helpful if everyone read them first since they covered most of the things discussed above.
Quote from: MATTBLAK on 04/14/2016 11:42 amWhen I expressed skepticism for this project and it's technological feasibility on a Space.com announcement feed on Facebook - jeez; you should have seen the feral responses and attacks I got! I was called all sorts of names, most of which have been deleted now. The mildest response I received was folk wondering how the great Professor Hawking could be so wrong and me - the wise and all-knowing 'Matthew Black' could be so right?! I responded "It's not about that; this kind of project and conceptual kite flight is part of how Prof. Hawking makes a living these days".I conceded that the whole concept is vaguely plausible, but that there would be considerable technical, financial and scheduling challenges to overcome. Not unlike 'Mars One' in that regard!!This is nothing like Mars One. At the moment it's one rich individual deciding to spend his money on a variety of research projects. TBH how he chooses to spend his personal wealth isn't anyone else's business, he's not taking the money out of your or mine's pockets. No doubt plenty of billionaires spend such money on art or property without the associated online debate about how they chose to spend their wealth.
When I expressed skepticism for this project and it's technological feasibility on a Space.com announcement feed on Facebook - jeez; you should have seen the feral responses and attacks I got! I was called all sorts of names, most of which have been deleted now. The mildest response I received was folk wondering how the great Professor Hawking could be so wrong and me - the wise and all-knowing 'Matthew Black' could be so right?! I responded "It's not about that; this kind of project and conceptual kite flight is part of how Prof. Hawking makes a living these days".I conceded that the whole concept is vaguely plausible, but that there would be considerable technical, financial and scheduling challenges to overcome. Not unlike 'Mars One' in that regard!!
At the moment it's one rich individual deciding to spend his money on a variety of research projects. TBH how he chooses to spend his personal wealth isn't anyone else's business, he's not taking the money out of your or mine's pockets. No doubt plenty of billionaires spend such money on art or property without the associated online debate about how they chose to spend their wealth.
Quote from: Star One on 04/14/2016 01:22 pmAt the moment it's one rich individual deciding to spend his money on a variety of research projects. TBH how he chooses to spend his personal wealth isn't anyone else's business, he's not taking the money out of your or mine's pockets. No doubt plenty of billionaires spend such money on art or property without the associated online debate about how they chose to spend their wealth.It's the UK, you can be sure he'll be getting government money eventually (or quit).Even setting that aside, just because someone is spending their own money doesn't mean we should feel free to let him know he's being foolish.
Quote from: MarkZero on 04/14/2016 01:23 pmOn the problem of getting a signal from the small probe over the light years:Since they are planning to make lots of those probes anyways, couldn't they just send them one by one, making a trail of them from here to Centauri. That way each probe would only need to be able to get the signal to the one behind it. Enough of the probes and the distance between two of them would become short enough.Plus, you would get more observations from the multiple flybys that would follow, for as long as you would keep sending the probes so that the distance between the Earth and the last probe sent wouldn't become too long.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkI don't know why they haven't been talking about it, but I read a paper where they used mirrors with an LCD on top on cubesats. They would paint them with a laser, and by switching the LCD (which opaqued the mirror) they would transmit information back. The nice thing is that you only need enough energy to opaque the mirror. At the same time, it would help them gain some altitude back to fight the aero drag.If they could have a sail material that could get electrically opaque, you could paint them from the Earth, and then read back the modulated reflection back on Earth with a big telescope.The nice thing is that it would be a lot easier and cheaper to boost the power of an Earth bound laser than to accelerate on to 0.2c. I'm pretty sure that if they can accelerate the craft to 0.2c, then will be supplying a lot more than 1Watt at Alpha Centauri.
Again that just looks like you know better how he should spend his money than the man himself. The guy's hardly some rube when it comes to science and technology.
It's the UK, you can be sure he'll be getting government money eventually (or quit).Even setting that aside, just because someone is spending their own money doesn't mean we should feel free to let him know he's being foolish.
Looks interesting. Somewhat skeptical, still looks leagues more credible than Mars One.
Yes. He appears to be very clever with his money. After all, didn't he just pledge $100m for SETI as well?
In fact, I suspect that this will be the final fate of this project -- it will end up being easier to directly image exoplanets from Earth than to pick up the signal from a tiny spacecraft so far away. So, even if it eventually proves possible to do, I think it will be made obsolete by better uses of the same technology needed to make it possible.
They're talking about a 1 km˛ optical array for receiving the signals from the spacecraft! If you can build that, no need for sending spacecraft, just use the optical array directly. Having optical arrays in various places in the solar system should get you great resolution.
Quote from: ChrisWilson68 on 04/15/2016 07:15 amIn fact, I suspect that this will be the final fate of this project -- it will end up being easier to directly image exoplanets from Earth than to pick up the signal from a tiny spacecraft so far away. So, even if it eventually proves possible to do, I think it will be made obsolete by better uses of the same technology needed to make it possible.They're talking about a 1 km˛ optical array for receiving the signals from the spacecraft! If you can build that, no need for sending spacecraft, just use the optical array directly. Having optical arrays in various places in the solar system should get you great resolution.