The founders of Starcloud are proposing a groundbreaking mission to send a tiny spacecraft on an 80,000-year journey to Alpha Centauri. If successful, it would mark the first human-crafted object designed for another star and the sixth to exit our solar system.
Called Fermi Explorer, this nonprofit initiative aims to explore the Fermi paradox, which questions the absence of intelligent extraterrestrial life. The project is led by Starcloud’s team, including co-founders Philip Johnston, Adi Oltean, and Ezra Feilden. They plan to launch a spacecraft with a 10 cm square payload weighing 1 kg, utilizing existing space technologies.
The mission is projected to cost around $15 million, with plans for launch in 2029. The team is seeking partners, funding, and scientific payloads similar to those housed in NASA’s Voyager probe. Unlike previous interstellar endeavors, such as the now-defunct Breakthrough Starshot, which sought to achieve rapid travel through advanced technology, Fermi Explorer adopts a more measured approach by leveraging current technology.
The plan includes launching the spacecraft via a rideshare on a rocket and using low-power electric propulsion to set it on a trajectory for Alpha Centauri. The device is expected to operate for about 12 years before coasting for the remaining 80,000. It’s designed to withstand the harsh environment of space, with the hope that a future civilization might one day recover it.
