Proxima Centaurus B is the nearest famous external planet, located in the area where its star is able to live. Therefore, it attracts great attention, including a number of projects of tasks to research and transmit data. Unfortunately, due to technology limitations and great distance, most of them showed the flight of micro devices with giant sun sails.
But why limit yourself to modern technologies, if there are other options, although theory, to send a bigger ship to our nearest neighbors? It is this idea that has formed a basis Master thesis Amelie Lutz from the Virzhinsky Polytechnic Institute – she reviewed the possibility of using thermonuclear engine settings to send a several hundred kilograms to this system and even access its trajectory.
Because Proxima Centaur B has the ability to live, scientists want to equip a different sensor poll for its detailed research. LUTZ's work lists 11 scientific equipment, including spectrophotomins, designs, intuitive and audio systems, for example, allowing the planet's possible ice.
To transfer the data they collect, it will need a stable connection. However, transmitting signals to such distance is an extremely difficult task. Lutz proposes to use the attractive lens of Centaur's nearest part to enhance the signal, which will reach the data rate of up to 10 Mbps compared to each watt of the generator capacity.
The question is the place to get the magnetic energy? The spacecraft will use heat generator for both motion and power source. Lutz has reviewed three types of lymph node engines, each that can operate on four fuels.
- Lymph node rocket (FDR), directly converting reaction energy into traction by using magnetic inertia synthesis.
- The engine with the inertial Diqueing Plasma is compact and light, but has limited power due to technical difficulties.
- The Microter -Core system with antimatter (AIM) is the smallest, but requires antimatter to start, which makes it extremely expensive.
Of the four types of fuel, Deerium-HELI-3 (D-3H) turned out to be the most promising type. Here, the difficulty includes the exploitation of Helia-3-it is extremely small on Earth, but you can find it on the moon.
Lutz has analyzed some scenarios of the mission:
- No brakes (24,000 km/s) – too fast to collect data,
- Slow Span (25 km/s) – allows you to perform a number of studies,
- Release in orbit is the best option that requires high energy efficiency and minimum neutron radiation.
The best solution is thermonuclear missiles on D-3HE. According to calculations, such a 500 kg device will be able to reach the Proxima of Centaur and to the planet's orbit for about 57 years – a great result for the mission between stars.
So far, all this is still theoretical. No motivation has been discussed and tested, and the implementation of such a project will require huge political and technical efforts. However, maybe such a poll will come to the stars throughout the life of Amelie Lutz, or perhaps she herself will participate directly in this.