Engineers have proposed a novel method for sending a spacecraft to the Alpha Centauri system using an “electron gun.” Unlike traditional probes like the Voyagers, this concept relies on high-energy electrons to propel the spacecraft. According to calculations, the electron gun could accelerate a probe weighing up to 1,000 kilograms to 10% of the speed of light, enabling it to reach Proxima Centauri in just 40 years—a significant improvement compared to the tens of thousands of years required by the Voyagers.
The existing Breakthrough Starshot project suggests sending a thousand miniature probes with light sails, propelled by a laser beam to 20% of the speed of light. However, this concept is limited by the small size of the probes and their minimal payload capacity. Additionally, the laser beam becomes ineffective beyond 15 million kilometers.
The electron gun addresses these limitations, as electrons have more mass and energy than photons. The proposed system could operate over distances up to 100 astronomical units (more than 15 billion kilometers), allowing the spacecraft to maintain high speeds. However, implementing the project would require constructing a massive solar power station in Earth’s orbit with a radius of approximately 800 meters to generate a stream of electrons with energy levels up to 19 billion electronvolts.
Although the project is still in the theoretical stage, it presents a promising solution for sending scientific missions to nearby stars. The increased mass capacity and range of the electron gun open new possibilities for studying exoplanets and interstellar space.
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