If space-based data centers appear unlikely, why not explore the possibility of interstellar travel?

The founders of Starcloud, a startup focused on deploying a fleet of GPUs in space, have introduced an intriguing proposal to potential investors: to send a small spacecraft on an extraordinary 80,000-year journey to Alpha Centauri.

If successful, this mission would represent the first human-made object specifically crafted to reach another star and the sixth to break away from our solar system.

The mission, dubbed Fermi Explorer, is backed by a non-profit organization that is currently seeking partners, funding, and expert advice. The core team—including Starcloud co-founders Philip Johnston, Adi Oltean, and Ezra Feilden, along with project manager Garret Jameson—has formulated a plan to leverage existing space technology to launch a craft with a payload area of 10 cm², weighing 1 kilogram, into interstellar space.

The founders emphasize that this endeavor is fueled by the desire for human exploration, aiming for a significant milestone and addressing the Fermi paradox, which questions why we have not yet made contact with other intelligent life in the universe, hence the name of the mission.

The estimated budget for the venture is approximately $15 million, with a targeted launch in 2029. The non-profit is actively seeking vendors to build the spacecraft, financial support, and scientific and artistic payloads—similar to the sensors and Golden Record aboard NASA’s Voyager space probe, the first human spacecraft to travel beyond our solar system.

Numerous interstellar exploration projects have stumbled due to the immense distances involved and our relatively sluggish travel methods. For context, Voyager, which was launched in 1977, is currently about 26 billion km away from Earth, while Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system, is an astounding 41 trillion km distant.

Previously, a Silicon Valley initiative aimed at this challenge led to the formation of a nonprofit called Breakthrough Starshot in 2016 by Yuri Milner, with support from Mark Zuckerberg. This initiative envisioned a multi-billion dollar project using a novel laser propulsion system designed to reach Alpha Centauri in twenty to thirty years. However, that effort ultimately faded away by 2025, though the ambition seems to remain.

In contrast, Fermi Explorer takes a different route: instead of pushing technological limits, the goal is to utilize current resources to achieve something.

“I was once hopeful but then disappointed!” Johnston reflected on the Starshot initiative. “That’s why we’re committed to this mission. We aim to actually launch something in three years. … the major difference between most other [interstellar] missions and the Fermi Explorer is that they all intend to accomplish their goals within a human lifespan, necessitating billion-dollar propulsion R&D projects. We have intentionally set 80,000 years as our minimum viable mission.”

The plan involves launching the spacecraft via a rocket rideshare and then using efficient, low-power electric propulsion to guide the vehicle through various orbits, ultimately directing it towards Alpha Centauri. The spacecraft is expected to remain functional for about 12 years before entering a long coast phase towards the nearby solar system.

“If a dinosaur bone can survive for 200 million years, then a metal container can certainly endure the radiation we predict for 50,000 years,” Johnston stated. “We do not intend to reactivate the spacecraft after 80,000 years. We hope a future human civilization will discover it.”