Science from the In Situ Exploration of the Proxima Centauri System
Abstract
In the future interstellar exploration at near-relativistic speeds will be possible using beamed energy laser propulsion. With this, spacecraft as small as gm mass picospacecraft become candidates for the exploration of deep space, with a trade space of velocity and mission duration versus mass. Here, we examine the potential science return from interstellar expeditions with Coracle laser-sail picospacecraft swarms and show how even with fast flybys at near relativistic velocities, a picospacecraft swarm could deliver gigapixel resolution of the target exoplanets. Our mission target is the planet Proxima b in the habitable zone (HZ) of the red dwarf Proxima Centauri, the tertiary (and nearest) component of the nearest star system, {\alpha} Centauri. We explore science returns from such an expedition, both en route to Proxima and at the Proxima system, and conclude that initial small spacecraft expeditions would provide a substantial science return, including the ability to detect surface biology or a technological civilization, should either or both be established on the target planet.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2604.20182,
title = {Science from the In Situ Exploration of the Proxima Centauri System},
author = {T. Marshall Eubanks and Jean Schneider and Bruce Bills and W. Paul Blase and Andreas M. Hein and Pierre Kervella and Adam Hibberd and Robert G. Kennedy and Manasvi Lingam and Philip Lubin and Philip D. Mauskopf and Thomas J. Mozdzen and Richard M. Scott and Slava G. Turyshev},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2604.20182},
year = {2026}
}