On the other hand, there is the European Space Agency’s (ESA) SMART-1 mission, which took its time traveling to the Moon using the method of ionic propulsion. For instance, using the technology that powered the New Horizons mission – which consisted of 16 thrusters fueled with hydrazine monopropellant – reaching the Moon would take a mere 8 hours and 35 minutes. The question of how long would it take to get somewhere in space is somewhat easier when dealing with existing technology and bodies within our Solar System. In all likelihood, any deep space mission will likely take generations to get there, rather than a few days or in an instantaneous flash. Alpha Centauri ? is the brightest of the three stars in the system (part of a binary 4.37 light-years away) while Proxima Centauri is an isolated red dwarf.Īnd while interstellar travel conjures up all kinds of visions of Faster-Than-Light (FTL) travel, ranging from warp speed and wormholes to jump drives, such theories are either highly speculative (such as the Alcubierre Drive) or entirely the province of science fiction. As part of a triple star system called Alpha Centauri, Proxima is about 4.24 light-years (or 1.3 parsecs) from Earth.
That being said, here we go! Nearest Star:Īs already noted, the closest star to our Solar System is Proxima Centauri, which is why it makes the most sense to plot an interstellar mission to this system first. But where would we go and how long would it take for us to get there? Just remember, this is all speculative and there is currently no benchmark for interstellar trips. In the future, should mankind wish to leave the Solar System, we’ll have a huge choice of stars we could travel to, and many could have the right conditions for life to thrive. Over 2000 exoplanets have been identified, many of which are believed to be habitable. We know there are planets orbiting other stars near our Solar System, and many of these stars are similar to our own. The nearest star to Earth is our Sun, which is a fairly “average” star in the Hertzsprung – Russell Diagram‘s “Main Sequence.” This means that it is highly stable, providing Earth with just the right type of sunlight for life to evolve on our planet. But should we ever contemplate “leaving the nest”, we will have a range of options for getting to the nearest Solar Systems in our galaxy. Like it or not, space is very large, and our technology is still very limited. Unfortunately, any realistic assessment is likely to produce answers that would totally discourage futurists and enthusiasts of interstellar travel. But coming up with a comprehensive answer means taking a lot of things into consideration. We’ve all asked this question at some point in our lives: How long would it take to travel to the stars? Could it be within a person’s own lifetime, and could this kind of travel become the norm someday? There are many possible answers to this question – some very simple, others in the realms of science fiction.
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