4 ms·
The problem is, when would we get an answer? Even in the best case, that would be 240 years. But we don't have the capability of building probes which approach
by _ph_ 3y ago
The problem is, when would we get an answer? Even in the best case, that would be 240 years. But we don't have the capability of building probes which approach the speed of light, so with current technology, it is probably hundreds of thousands of years.
So the short term solution (in the order of decades) is improve the observation capabilities. More observations with the JWST should give a better idea what the next iteration of a space telescope for this job should be and give some motivation of accelerating building such a telescope. JWST itself took decades to build and deploy. It would be remarkable, if an improved telescope could be deployed in a 10 year time frame. Of course, an operational Starship would help a lot with that, as a lot of effort for JWST was the complex deployment mechanism.
- throwaway74902 3y agoWe won't get the capability to build probes that approach the speed of light if we keep observing instead of beginning to build the probe.
- _ph_ 3y agoNobody said something about stopping building probes. That will continue and eventually lead to probes which might approach the speed of light. But the achievable targets for the next decades are planetary, not interstellar.
- throwaway74902 3y agoNobody said anything about stopping building planetary probes.