Five questions about NASA's plans to visit an alien world in 2069

[rangerrebew]

Five questions about NASA's plans to visit an alien world in 2069
Like, can we even do that?
By Rachel Feltman December 28, 2017




Earlier this month, New Scientist reported that NASA has plans in the works to visit Alpha Centauri. While the plan is reportedly “nebulous,” the space agency hopes to launch something by 2069. Here’s what we know:
First things first: Why 2069?

The proposed launch date may seem an odd (if rather giggle-worthy) choice. But NASA didn’t just pull this one out of their butts: While setting the agency’s budget back in 2016, Representative John Culberson of Texas called for NASA to send a mission to Alpha Centauri by 2069. He didn’t pull that date out of his butt, either; It’s an homage to the centennial anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Nice.

https://www.popsci.com/alpha-centauri-NASA-2069

[Doug Loss]

[sigh] We keep having to address this misinformation over and over.  Here is Rep. Culberson on a leadership panel with Rep. Mo Brooks and USAF General Kwast, at the 2017 Tennessee  Valley Interstellar Workshop symposium:


https://youtu.be/apd4Qztvs00

And here is a presentation about the NASA mission study that keeps being referred to, by one of the chief investigators on that study:


https://youtu.be/uHKbb_ga5AY