Three ambitious concepts for interstellar travel have made it to the final round of The Hyperion Project, aiming to take humans beyond our solar system to Proxima Centauri. Launched in 2024, this British-led program brings together experts from various fields to design a megastructure capable of carrying at least 1,000 people for centuries.
The three finalists are Chrysalis, WFP Extreme, and Systema Stellare Proximum. Each project has unique features, including artificial gravity, sustainable life systems, and conditions that support a functioning society.
Chrysalis, the winning design, is an Italian-led project with a cylindrical spacecraft 58 kilometers long and 6 kilometers across. It would simulate Earth gravity through rotating layers and be propelled by a four-century engine shutdown and restart.
WFP Extreme, a Polish company’s design, features a central hub flanked by two massive rings, each spinning in opposite directions to produce Earth-like gravity. The ship’s layout includes living quarters, workspaces, and residential districts.
Systema Stellare Proximum is a Canadian-designed starship modeled after a jellyfish, with advanced sensors scanning for resources or life signs. Its life-support system mimics biomimicry, recycling waste into food and oxygen through algae and microorganisms.
These three projects showcase humanity’s imagination and technical capabilities when considering interstellar travel.
Source: https://www.futura-sciences.com/en/they-planned-everything-meet-the-finalist-spacecrafts-to-carry-1000-people-to-the-nearest-star_19476