Prototypes of tiny spacecraft called Sprites are being tested in low Earth orbit. Similarly tiny probes may someday fly to Alpha Centauri.
Posted on 08/31/2017 5:53:31 PM PDT by ETL
Prototypes ride on satellites in low Earth orbit to test how their circuitry fares in space
Spacecraft have gone bite-sized. On June 23, Breakthrough Starshot, an initiative to send spacecraft to another star system, launched half a dozen probes called Sprites to test how their electronics fare in outer space. Each Sprite, built on a single circuit board, is a prototype of the tiny spacecraft that Starshot scientists intend to send to Alpha Centauri, the trio of stars closest to the sun. Those far-flung probes would be the smallest working spacecraft yet.
“We’re talking about launching things that are a thousand times lighter than any previous spacecraft,” says Avi Loeb, an astrophysicist at Harvard University who is part of the committee advising the initiative. A Sprite is only 3.5 centimeters square and weighs four grams, but packs a solar panel, radio, thermometer, magnetometer for compass capabilities and gyroscope for sensing rotation.
These spacecraft are designed to fly solo, but for this test, they hitched a ride into low Earth orbit on satellites named Max Valier and Venta-1. Each satellite has one Sprite permanently riding sidecar, and the Max Valier craft has another four it could fling out into space. Unfortunately, as of August 10, ground controllers haven’t yet been able to reach the Max Valier satellite to send a “Release the Sprites!” command. One of the permanently attached Sprites — probably the one on Venta-1 — is in radio contact.
Before sending next-gen Sprites off to Alpha Centauri, scientists plan to equip them with cameras, actuators for steering and other tools. “This was really just the first step in a long journey for Starshot,” Loeb says.
Prototypes of tiny spacecraft called Sprites are being tested in low Earth orbit. Similarly tiny probes may someday fly to Alpha Centauri.
"Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to our own solar system. The mission of the Robinson Family in Lost in Space is to establish a colony on a planet orbiting one of the stars (Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B) that make up the star system."
My youngest son, in his final project for his degree in Mechanical Engineering (he was project leader), focused on micro-satellites for a project sponsored by NASA.
NASA was so impressed they offered him a 6 week internship - until he re-enters the Navy for OCS and then flight school....his dream since he was 8.
BTW, 6 years in Navy as enlisted got him the GI Bill and paid for his education, graduated Tau Beta Pi, equiv. to Phi Beta Kappa for BA degrees....
At 20,000 mph, it would still take a probe about 35,000 years to reach alpha Centauri. Settle in and wait.
I loved watching Lost In Space! Dr Smith always screwed things up.
“We’re talking about launching things that are a thousand times lighter than any previous spacecraft,”
Does this matter in a weightless environment?
Terrific! You have a son to be mighty proud of. I wish he and you the best of luck. :)
Gilligan! I mean, Doctor Smith!!!
Fascinating! A minor mistake in the article: Alpha Centauri is but one star in the trio. The closest star to us is Proxima Centauri. Then Alpha Centauri, then Beta Centauri.
Does this matter in a weightless environment?
Well, they have to first get up there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Family_Robinson
Space Family Robinson was an original science-fiction comic book series published by Gold Key Comics. It predates the Lost in Space television series. Both are loosely based on the novel and similarly-named movies, The Swiss Family Robinson.
Space Family Robinson was published as a total of 59 issues, from 1962 to 1982. The first issue was published in December 1962. With issue #15 (January, 1966), the "Lost in Space" title was added to the cover. The book Silver Age: The Second Generation of Comic Artists by Daniel Herman explains that when the Lost in Space TV series debuted in 1965, it was obvious that it was inspired, at least in part, by the comic book, but CBS, the network airing the show, had never acquired the license from Western Publishing. Rather than sue CBS or producer Irwin Allen, Western decided to reach a settlement that allowed them to use Lost in Space for the title of the comic book. Since CBS and Irwin Allen licensed shows to Western, Western didn't want to antagonize them.
The title was cancelled with #36 (October, 1969). It was brought back in October, 1973, in part due to the popularity of Star Trek. At this point, all issues between #37 and #44 had the tag "On Space Station One" added as well. The title was cancelled again with #54 (December, 1977) (with #49 being a reprint of #38). A further new story was published in Gold Key Champion #1 (1978). In 1981, the title was revived as a reprint title for issues #55–59 (1981–1982) under the "Whitman Comics" line. New stories also appeared in March of Comics #320, 328, and 352.
You must be very proud, I’m proud of him and I don’t even know him :-)
Navy flight school was a long ago dream of mine....could not pass the physical :-/
It they want to accelerate it towards relativistic speeds, then it will be easier to do so the lighter it is.
They now believe they can achieve 20% of light speed and make it in around 20 years.
These space probes on a chip seem more likely for near earth surveillance than any kind of deep space probes.They would be great for keeping a close eye on our potential adversaries since they’re so small the opposition would not even know they are there.
As an interstellar space probe the amount of radio power needed to get a signal to earth would not be great enough in my opinion.
Second thing these micro probes would be highly susceptible to damage from micro meteorites.
Researchers have created a spacecraft which will be the stepping stone to interstellar space travel, and it fits inside the palm of your hand.
Rather than launching one, several of these “Sprites” prototype space probes were launched into low Earth orbit on June 23, according to Breakthrough Initiative, a privately funded program set up in 2015 that aims to search for extraterrestrial intelligence within at least 10 years. The probes piggybacked on the OHB System AG Max Valler and Venta satellites to achieve their current location.
While in low Earth orbit, the electronic systems of the Sprites will be tested. These include solar panels, sensors, radios and tiny computers all fitted into a 3.5 x 3.5-centimeter chip. All of the deployed prototype Sprites were created from a single circuit board.
The Sprites are part of the interstellar exploration company’s “Breakthrough Starshot” program, which aims to send tiny interstellar “StarChip Probes” to the nearest star system to ours, Alpha Centauri.
At the moment, the Sprites are in contact with California and New York-based ground stations. Amateur radio enthusiasts may also get in touch with the Sprites as a way to demonstrate their radio communication architecture.
The aim of Breakthrough Starshot is to create a spacecraft that can travel at 20 percent the speed of light. The researchers are hoping that in just 20 year’s time, photos and measurements of planets in Alpha Centauri could be sent back to Earth, which is 4.367 light years away or around 40 trillion kilometers.
Think of all the strange aliens they'd run across in that time!
Does it have some kind of shielding, or hull?
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