Could We Finally Visit Our Neighboring Stars? New Spacecraft Propulsion Idea Could Make It Happen

Photo by Yong Chuan Tan on Unsplash

Space exploration is like that one dream trip you’ve been planning for years — exciting, mysterious, but outrageously expensive and time-consuming. Except in this case, the dream trip is to the nearest star system, and instead of packing a suitcase, we’re packing a spacecraft with hopes and a whole lot of physics. So, what’s new? A bunch of brainy physicists now think we might have a more realistic way of getting there — with relativistic electron beams.

Wait, what?

Yeah, it sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi novel, but hear me out. Right now, if we decided to send a probe to Proxima Centauri (our closest star), using our current technology, it would take… wait for it… 73,000 years to get there. That’s longer than all of recorded human history. Basically, the craft would arrive just in time to send postcards to our great-great-great-(insert 20 more greats)-grandkids.

Clearly, that’s not ideal.

In 2016, a project called Breakthrough Starshot got everyone buzzing. The idea was to send a tiny, lightweight probe to Alpha Centauri at speeds of up to 20% the speed of light. How? By blasting it with lasers. It was a cool idea, but it came with a few massive hurdles. First, lasers don’t come cheap. Second, the further the probe travels, the weaker the beam gets. It’s like trying to keep your Wi-Fi connected when you’re at the very edge of your garden — except your garden is space, and the router is a giant laser array. Not very efficient.

Enter: The Electron Beam Plan

The latest proposal involves using relativistic electron beams — a fancy way of saying beams of electrons traveling at nearly the speed of light. Why electrons? Because they can be accelerated without spreading out too much, unlike light or microwaves. Think of it like a focused firehose versus a sprinkler. The beam would remain tight, delivering more power to the spacecraft over longer distances.

Physicists call this effect a “relativistic pinch.” And no, it’s not something your grandma does to your cheeks at family gatherings. It’s a phenomenon that keeps the beam from spreading out too quickly because, in simple terms, time moves differently when things are moving at relativistic speeds.

So… When Can We Pack Our Spacesuits?

Well, don’t book your cosmic Airbnb just yet. While this new approach solves some key problems, it’s still more of a “this-could-work” theory rather than something we can put into action next year. The biggest challenge? Building a solar statite — a spacecraft that would hover near the Sun using a solar sail, continuously beaming electrons toward the probe.

Now, if you’re thinking, “That sounds expensive,” you’re absolutely right. But here’s the kicker: We already have the tech to build some parts of it. With advancements in solar energy and beam tech, it’s not completely out of reach.

And honestly, isn’t it wild to think that within a few decades, we might send a spacecraft to another star? Imagine sitting with your morning coffee and scrolling through images of Proxima Centauri b — a potentially habitable planet — on your feed. It’s the stuff of dreams!

Why This Matters

Sure, it’s cool to think about sending probes to other star systems. But it’s not just about ticking off a bucket-list item for humanity. It’s about the future of exploration and survival. If Earth ever becomes uninhabitable (let’s hope not, but hey, climate change is no joke), we’ll need to find a backup plan. And that backup plan might just be out there in the stars.

In the meantime, we’ll keep dreaming big, because that’s what humans do best. After all, it wasn’t that long ago when flying across continents seemed impossible. Now we complain when Wi-Fi cuts out on a plane. Let’s see what we’ll complain about when we finally make it to another star.

Susan Kowal
Susan Kowal is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor/advisor, and health enthusiast.