UNSF Interstellar Probe
This standardized build of probe is used by the United Nations Space Force whenever an AI retires but wishes to continue living in the real world, rather than the virtual one. It is a large, cylindrical object, equipped with all the probes, factories and equipment needed to explore a new solar system, but by law it cannot build a copy of itself.
Due to design constraints, once it has arrived in a system, it cannot realistically leave unless a colony ship comes, it is incapable of boosting itself beyond around 3% c with any hope of slowing down, and so its target is likely to be its permanent home, and even if it is temporary, it will need to stay for at least a few centuries.
Because of the forward scout nature of these probes, they do have the ability to initiate terraforming on any planet that is close enough, but this is not really a big deal as most early colonial ventures are space based anyway.
Designed to keep the AI entertained, it has a far larger than normal databank, containing near everything a probe could need, as well as the majority of any artistic and cultural artifacts they wish to bring. The probe can also send requests for data from earth, though the long lag times make this rather slow. In addition, most AI will in a sense hibernate, slowing their thinking down to 1/128 or 1/1024 or even lower to pass the time quicker, though they are very capable of ramping right back up if needed.
Is launched from a mass driver at the sun and then pushed with a series of lasers for 3 AU at up to 100 g, getting it up to 0.1 c. Then further pushing lasers accelerate it to 0.2 c after half a light year at 1 g. On deceleration, it uses it's magsail to get down to 0.03 c, then uses a magsail along with its torchdrive to slow to in-sytem velocities. This slowdown takes around 6 light years to occur, and so starts around a century before entering the system. Due to the massive size of the magsail, and its accompanying solar sail, it can generate a up to 10 cm/s^2 in system within a few AU of the local star.
The probe goes so fast that it experiences only around 98% of the time due to relativistic effects, and is only 294 m long
Due to design constraints, once it has arrived in a system, it cannot realistically leave unless a colony ship comes, it is incapable of boosting itself beyond around 3% c with any hope of slowing down, and so its target is likely to be its permanent home, and even if it is temporary, it will need to stay for at least a few centuries.
Because of the forward scout nature of these probes, they do have the ability to initiate terraforming on any planet that is close enough, but this is not really a big deal as most early colonial ventures are space based anyway.
Designed to keep the AI entertained, it has a far larger than normal databank, containing near everything a probe could need, as well as the majority of any artistic and cultural artifacts they wish to bring. The probe can also send requests for data from earth, though the long lag times make this rather slow. In addition, most AI will in a sense hibernate, slowing their thinking down to 1/128 or 1/1024 or even lower to pass the time quicker, though they are very capable of ramping right back up if needed.
Is launched from a mass driver at the sun and then pushed with a series of lasers for 3 AU at up to 100 g, getting it up to 0.1 c. Then further pushing lasers accelerate it to 0.2 c after half a light year at 1 g. On deceleration, it uses it's magsail to get down to 0.03 c, then uses a magsail along with its torchdrive to slow to in-sytem velocities. This slowdown takes around 6 light years to occur, and so starts around a century before entering the system. Due to the massive size of the magsail, and its accompanying solar sail, it can generate a up to 10 cm/s^2 in system within a few AU of the local star.
The probe goes so fast that it experiences only around 98% of the time due to relativistic effects, and is only 294 m long
Power Generation
1x Deuterium Helium-3 Tokomak Reactor (5 TW maximum power for thrust)
4x Reversible Fuel Cells, 12 kWDay each
4x 500 kW Nuclear Fission Breeder reactors, mean lifetime 500 years (coast power)
1x Am-241 RTG, 2 kW at launch
4x Solar Panels, 2 kW each at 1 Au from Sol
Magsails can be partially extended to bleed speed for electrical power
Power requirements are variable, minimum of 1 MW during coast for AI power, radar, laser shield and comms.
4x Reversible Fuel Cells, 12 kWDay each
4x 500 kW Nuclear Fission Breeder reactors, mean lifetime 500 years (coast power)
1x Am-241 RTG, 2 kW at launch
4x Solar Panels, 2 kW each at 1 Au from Sol
Magsails can be partially extended to bleed speed for electrical power
Power requirements are variable, minimum of 1 MW during coast for AI power, radar, laser shield and comms.
Propulsion
Slowdown Magsail (5000 km radius, 90 MN at 0.2 c & 0.3 atoms/cm^3)
Total Mass of Sail, 32 tons
45% fuel for tokomak
Total Mass of Sail, 32 tons
45% fuel for tokomak
Weapons & Armament
Powerful phased array laser system at the front of the craft
Armor and defense
Thick (10 m) shield of ice at the front of the craft
Multiple small laser turrets around the craft front for intercepts
Multiple small laser turrets around the craft front for intercepts
Communication Tools & Systems
Powerful 1 MW UV Laser for communication with home
Hangars & docked vessels
Multiple probes all set up, ready to be deployed into any planet.
Class
Beam
25 m radius
Length
300 m long
Weight
707 Gg
Speed
Internal, 0.05 c
Cruise velocity 0.2 c
Cruise velocity 0.2 c
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