How to get a probe into a distant future?

[tater]

11 hours ago, mikegarrison said:

Getting probes into the future is actually really easy. We are all moving into the future, one second per second (ignoring relativistic issues).

And a probe in interstellar space will probably pretty much be exactly the same millions of years from now as it is now. Anything that can outgass will be gone, but other than that it should be fine unless it gets hit by to many particles.

Then it becomes an engineering exercise in making a probe that can move far into the future without suffering critical failures.

[radonek]

On Friday November 11, 2016 at 9:14 AM, mikegarrison said:

Getting probes into the future is actually really easy. We are all moving into the future, one second per second (ignoring relativistic issues).

And a probe in interstellar space will probably pretty much be exactly the same millions of years from now as it is now. Anything that can outgass will be gone, but other than that it should be fine unless it gets hit by to many particles.

Umm, no. Crystal lattice of metals is not that stable, structural parts (and probably everything else) will slowly melt into shapeless slug. Add to that effect of neutron flux from cosmic background radiation, which is known to make metals brittle. Also surface erosion from solar wind and microparticles. It would take some really good material science to survive all that for a million years. But OP is asking for four thousand times more.
 

[kerbiloid]

First of all, reactions speed is proportional to temperature. So, they should keep the probe at very low temperatures. Pluto looks enough nice.

Then, no mechanism could survive billions just due to tunnel effect and so on. This will weld parts into one corrupted mess. So, no mechanism, but crystals with knowledge, stored in clear (binary) code with high redundancy, in several copies. Let them make a player themselves. In any case you don't know in what part of spectre they can see.

No electrical or magnetic records, only geometrical pins.

The most chemically and physically stable material. I.e. an oxide of a stable element. For example, zircon crystals, ZiSiO₄.

Keep it from children. Let them prove they are intelligent enough. Again, put in somewhere near Pluto.

Make obvious there's something unnatural over there. For example, enormous radiation level. Use long-living isotopes, cover the moon with artefact with U/Th fallout.

Make obvious its exact place, Make it ground zero of radioactive hell, They will be searching the source and find the place with your crystals.
Also, this is a disinsection measure: only mature civilization can get in.

Short version: engrave binaries on zircon crystals, drop many thermonukes on Kharon _{too large} Styx, Hydra or Nyx, put your crystals in GZ. Wait for 4 bln.

_{And send them a book with i386 CPU instructions. They will build a virtual computer, run your binaries and get a Pacman infected by virus.}

Edited November 13, 2016 by kerbiloid

[kerbiloid]

(Up)

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2016/02/5d-data-storage-update.page

http://www.orc.soton.ac.uk/fileadmin/downloads/5D_Data_Storage_by_Ultrafast_Laser_Nanostructuring_in_Glass.pdf

Spoiler

 

_{Now we can safely backup all KSP mods.}
 

Edited November 25, 2016 by kerbiloid

[Hast5250]

It could be powered by a nuclear breeder reactor, and would have a powerful magnetic field, the reactor would last a long time, and the magnet would collect magnetic space dust and surround itself with a sort of recycled shell. I know it may sound far fetched, but a living probe sounds far fetched too.