A new proposal suggests that the sun’s gravity could be used to amplify signals from an interstellar space probe, allowing video to be streamed from as far away as Alpha Centauri.
Though we don’t have probes far out enough to take advantage of this technology yet, it may eventually come in handy for interstellar communications.
Building the communications grid now makes calls to our own spacecraft – or that of another alien race – a future possibility.
In his study, Hippke proposes instead that a telescope about a metre across could relay the signal.
Without it, we’d need to construct massive telescopes on Earth and send probes to interstellar space large enough to carry immense power sources.
With the gravitational-lensing effect, a little power would go a long way towards transmitting data back to our solar system.
Despite the challenges involved in such an ambitious project, Hippke says humans have launched larger space telescopes than what he is proposing. »
![image for View of Cannon Beach from Ecola State Park, Oregon [OC] [4032x3024]](68aaafd0-9161-57f8-9c12-e83eba9b9451_thumb.jpg)
