Interstellar Probe (IP)

We have learned about Voyager I and Voyager II - the space probes that were launched from Earth by NASA in 1977 CE, left our Solar system in 2012 CE and are now in 2022 CE some 156 AU (for Voyager I) and 130 AU (for Voyager II) away. Voyagers have been collecting data and transmitting data back to Earth for 44 years and are continuing to do so albeit a reduced functionality basis due to very much dimmer sunlight on their solar panels. 

 

Image credit Science.org

Image credit Science.org

A new $3,1Billion project “Voyager on steroids” is being proposed. This project will take one or two more generations of space explorers along the path but ahead of our Sun. We will learn about the future of our Solar system and about interstellar travel that may plot our course to the stars.

Read more about 'Voyager on steroids' on  https://www.science.org/content/article/voyager-steroids-mission-probe-mysterious-region-beyond-solar-system .  

NB. Astronomical Unit (AU) is a unit of length, roughly the distance from Earth to the Sun and is 149,597,870.700 kilometres or ≈ 92955807.273 miles.

156 AU = 23,337,267,829 km (23.34 Trillion km); 130 AU = 19,447,723,191 km (19,45 Trillion km)