Astronomers propose a mission to send a tiny spacecraft, propelled by a laser beam, towards a black hole. Astrophysicist Cosimo Bambi suggests this century-long journey could uncover new secrets about space and time.
The key challenges are finding a nearby black hole and developing probes capable of surviving the trip. Scientists estimate that there might be one within 20-25 light-years from Earth, but detecting them is difficult due to their invisibility. New techniques may help discover a black hole in the next decade.
To reach a black hole, researchers propose using nanocrafts – tiny probes powered by microchips and light sails. These craft could accelerate to a third of the speed of light, taking 70 years to reach a nearby black hole.
The mission’s success would shed new light on physics questions like the event horizon and general relativity’s validity near black holes. However, developing this technology is still far-fetched, with estimates suggesting it may cost around one trillion euros.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-08-interstellar-mission-black-hole-astrophysicist.html