Brief Description of Probe

The probe is defined by it's spherical nose-cone and cylindrical fuselage. When all instruments are retracted, it resembles a very large, wingless dragonfly. The front of the sphere is thicker than the rear parts of the assembly, shielded because of the higher particle collision rate of the front and also for a single use atmospheric entry. The ability to function over a small area after entry is one of the most impressive features of the Project Daedalus probes. Unfortunately, because of the time invested in travel and the inability of the probes to return to space after atmospheric entry, the option to land was more tantalizing than utilized. In fact, the AI that regulates the probe in the absence of human commands (essential due to increasing communication delays over larger distances) does not even have the capacity to initialize the entry sequence.

Each probe was equipped with an extensive list of sensors and tools. The midsection of the fuselage contains two retracting solar panels. On the rear of the front sphere are several compartments that house a three-jointed arm, a camera, a microphone, an EM antennae, a microscope and a gas spectrometer.

The solar panels are used to power the shuttle inside of solar systems and to drive the instruments when stationary. For higher speeds in deep space, a nuclear explosion engine is used. The effects of the nuclear test ban treaty prohibited the use of the nuclear engines within the solar system. It was these restrictions that led the developers to opt for a two power source option. This configuration also allows for operation even if on of the systems are compromised, adding even more durability to a probe that depends on continuous operation without any servicing or maintenance.

Project Daedalus Launch

The probes designed over 250 years ago for the Project Daedalus Systematic Unmanned Space Exploration were truly beautiful. Like all well build devices, their technology at no point out shined their pragmatism, durability and style, but likewise was not insufficient. Each Project Daedalus probe was capable of operating without human intervention: all man had to do was to get them into orbit. This was still a tremendous task though, seeing that 5,000 of these probes, each about as large as a refrigerator and five times as heavy, were to be launched. Of the initial 5,000 probes only a lucky 3,432 actually made it into space. At a raw materials cost of over $30,000, the excess probes were adapted for other programs when it became clear that launching them was no longer possible. Twenty three of the probes were taken into orbit each launch. It took a better part of a decade to get the ones that did make the launch from the pad to orbit. From there they all went their separate ways, each probe to travel no less than 100 years away from earth. This project was monumental in its scope - both chronologically and spatially. It was a true investment in the future. With a probe survival half life of 400 years, it was an investment that promised to have great returns for the great-great-great-great-grandchildren of the visionaries that began it. Project Daedalus' first launch, September 26th, 2042 was the date that humanity became serious about space.

Space

Like all good Scots, I have an affliction known as the wanderlust. But this wanderlust carries ambitions that those before have lacked though. My wanderlust is lust for the stars, and not even love of home can bring me back again.