U.S. lawmaker tells NASA to plan for trip to Alpha Centauri by 100th anniversary of moon landing

[Shpaget]

Is NASA still up and running? I mean, they didn't die from laughter?

[Atlas2342]

 

2 hours ago, PB666 said:

Im in no great hurry to get space junk to alpha-centauri, I would like to see the technology capable of getting things around the solar system faster and fusion reactors that can work in space. Then we can talk about how humans can survive in space colonies. There is a marginal point of sending a postage stamp to alpha-centauri that is unlikely of reporting back anything other than two stars in orbit around one another.

Well, it would be a really great achievement to get to another star other than our sun...

But I would have wanted them to focus on the exploration of Solar System more instead of making an astronomical jump (pun intended) to send a probe to Alpha Centauri...

[magnemoe]

4 hours ago, PB666 said:

Im in no great hurry to get space junk to alpha-centauri, I would like to see the technology capable of getting things around the solar system faster and fusion reactors that can work in space. Then we can talk about how humans can survive in space colonies. There is a marginal point of sending a postage stamp to alpha-centauri that is unlikely of reporting back anything other than two stars in orbit around one another.

Agree, more focus on the solar system, and yes more focus on exo-planet search and getting more details about them.
An interstelar probe in near future is only relevant if we find an planet with life. 
 

[Camacha]

US lawmakers have a history of changing their minds and even pulling funds from missions already in the making. I will believe it when I see it, until then it simple is a PR stunt. If they could start with providing NASA a steady budget without the continuous cycle of granting and then cutting budget, things would move along a lot better.

[Bill Phil]

An interstellar mission would be neat, but I would rather have Terrestrial Planet Finder. Let's find targets before we send anything.

[RenegadeRad]

Just imagine if we find a system which is a doppelganger of Kerbol System 0_o  

[fredinno]

On 2016-05-24 at 8:43 PM, RenegadeRad said:

What I'm still questioning here is why the heck aren't we concentrating in manned missions rather than these drones. I have a fear that soon our robot overlords will only go for space expedition.

Manned missions are expensive.

 

Also, NASA IS concentrating on manned missions. It's called SLS/Orion. It's going VERY well right now .

On 2016-05-24 at 2:46 AM, Streetwind said:

To be honest, if we send an interstellar probe, I'd rather see it go to a star system with confirmed exoplanets. Alpha Centauri has no such things. Only two potential candidates, which have proven to be so elusive as to make the chance that they actually exist fairly low at this point.

Unfortunately, the closest confirmed exoplanet we know of today is Aegir (Epsilon Eridani b), and that's 2.5 times as far away as Alpha Centauri...

Well, a interstellar prove would still end up in a very interesting and undiscovered triple system, with 3 different kinds of stars. I think that's good enough...

7 hours ago, RenegadeRad said:

Just imagine if we find a system which is a doppelganger of Kerbol System 0_o  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsilon_Eridani

[KerikBalm]

I would rather have robots explore Enceledus, Europa, and martian caves and "spider channels"/geysers.

I'm quite convinced the surface of mars is sterilem, but there could be life in its depths.

[insert_name]

honestly, I would like to have orbiters for Uranus and Neptune, and maybe a planet 9 flyby before we go interstellar

[fredinno]

8 hours ago, insert_name said:

honestly, I would like to have orbiters for Uranus and Neptune, and maybe a planet 9 flyby before we go interstellar

Yeah, we should be funding an Orbiter around Ur anus before anything else planned in the flagship arena (arguably even Titan/Enceldous).

 

Miranda is too cool to not go to in the next decade.

[dakhr]

First we have to think how "go nuclear" into space

[wumpus]

Look on the bright side.  One down, 434 (well, 218) to go.