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Project Icarus: Reaching for Interstellar Space

Project Icarus is an ambitious five-year study into launching an unmanned spacecraft to an interstellar destination. Initiated by the Tau Zero Foundation and British Interplanetary Society, and managed by Icarus Interstellar Inc., a non-profit group of scientists dedicated to interstellar spaceflight, Icarus is working to develop a spacecraft that can travel to a nearby star.

Tau Zero Takes Aim at Interstellar Propulsion

Guest contributor Paul Gilster explains how interstellar spaceflight may become a reality.

Project Daedalus: A Plan for an Interstellar Mission

Guest contributer Richard Obousy explains how a nuclear-based technology has inspired a starship's design.

Sizing Up the Daedalus Interstellar Spacecraft : Slide Show

To travel to another star, you'll need a big spaceship. But how big is "big"?

Project Icarus: Which Exoplanet to Visit?

Guest contributor Ian Crawford explains why the interstellar mission will have to be choosy about its first star system target.

What Would an Interstellar Mission Look Like?

Guest contributor Robert Adams explains his mission analysis role in Project Icarus and discusses how a spacecraft could travel to another star.

What Would an Interstellar Spaceship Look Like?

Guest contributor Kelvin Long describes the design considerations for the Daedalus starship. Part 1 of 2.

What Would an Interstellar Spaceship Look Like?

Guest contributor Kelvin Long describes the design considerations for the Icarus starship. Part 2 of 2.

Using Fusion to Propel an Interstellar Probe

Guest contributor Richard Obousy describes how a starship might harness the awesome power of nuclear fusion to travel to interstellar destinations.

Visualizing Fusion Pulse Propulsion : Animation

A visualization of how nuclear pulse propulsion could be used to power interstellar space probes.

Conventional Propulsion to Support an Interstellar Probe

Guest contributor Andreas Tziolas discusses the propulsion techniques available today that could assist an interstellar mission.

Project Icarus: An Interstellar Mission Timeline

Guest contributor Andreas Tziolas overviews a potential mission to another star.

Project Icarus: Recycling Fuel Tanks as Communication Relays : Animation

During transit to another star, the Icarus starship could recycle its depleted fuel tanks as communication beacons.

Project Icarus: The Gas Mines of Uranus

Guest contributor Adam Crowl looks at the fuel required for an interstellar trip and finds a gas giant with huge mining potential.

Sooner, Not Later: Interstellar Voyages a Reality?

Guest commentator and co-founder of Project Icarus, Richard Obousy explores some "disruptive technologies" that might push us to the stars sooner than we think.