Mission Concept

Astrophysicist Cosimo Bambi from Fudan University has proposed an audacious interstellar mission: launch a probe no larger than a paperclip—known as a nanocraft—toward a nearby black hole using powerful Earth-based lasers. The craft would travel at approximately one-third the speed of light, enabling a journey spanning ~70 light-years in ~70 years. Accounting for the return transmission of data, the full mission would last nearly a century. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Key Challenges Ahead

• Finding a target black hole: Ideally within 20–25 light-years—but the nearest known candidate is about 1,500 light-years away. Advances in detection methods may change this within a decade. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
• Propulsion technology: Requires Earth-based lasers powerful enough to accelerate a gram-scale probe to relativistic speeds—nonexistent today and currently estimated at a trillion-dollar scale. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• Long mission duration: ~70 years to destination, plus ~20 years to relay findings back to Earth—for an ~90–100-year execution timeline. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Scientific Payoff

This unprecedented mission would test the extremes of Einstein’s general relativity by observing the event horizon—potentially affirming or disputing the very fabric of black holes. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Historical Inspiration

Bambi parallels his vision with bold scientific milestones that were once considered impossible—like the detection of gravitational waves and the first imaging of a black hole’s shadow—arguing that planning today makes the impossible tomorrow's reality. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}