2003-10-26 by Lee
This project is dead until further notice. I don't have the time or
knowledge to do this at the moment. Feel free to send me email of
incuragement.
This project is to design and develop the necessary tools and designs for the development of space craft. This includes things like simulators, communication systems, mission planning, and and physical space craft design. The goal is to eventually design a space craft for a mission to the Alpha Centauri System.
Initial focus will be on orbital systems, software simulation of orbits, and research and initial mission planning.
Because I read a book, and it sounds like fun! It is also a good way to link together all the various Open Source Software and Hardware concepts and projects. Given its large scope, there should be no shortage of small sub-projects. I was originally going to moot this as a university-wide project, but had a feeling I wouldn't get far. As Open Source, I feel that many more people can use the skills they have developed at University or elsewhere to help.
Another reason for the project is the massive cost in time and money of mounting a mission in space. Most of the cost is the development of the craft and mission related. By donating a small amount of time, by many people, we can develop to high standard by working together.
More about why.
No I'm not! We are only 4 light years from Alpha Centauri - it's our closest stellar neighbour and we know very little about it. Its nature is very interesting, being a binary system of two Sun-like stars orbiting very closely.
A mission to Alpha Centauri presents a unique opportunity for scienitifc research. Departing the solar system gives an opportunity to study the Sun's "South" pole and magnetic fields, and a chance to collect important data from another star system, a binary system as well. Planet hunters will be able to get a close-up look at another system, and search for much smaller planets than discovered to date. The interstellar matter can be measured directly in transiting to the destination.
Well... We really need to know how many people are interested. We also need to figure out if this is realistic. An overview of current long-range exploration would be helpful.
Have a look at the Concepts page, and perhaps do some work on an idea there, or think of a new concept.
Finishing this doc and making it look pretty wouldn't hurt either.
Just a few books that might tune people in on some of the concepts.
A few websites that might be of interest.
Copyright 2003, Lee Begg, email