McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
@mcgill-adastra.bsky.social
Interstellar Flight Experimental Research Group @mcgill.ca : Researching the technologies that will make our civilization multi-stellar.
https://interstellarflight.space/
https://interstellarflight.space/
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Someone was asking what the interstellar medium around the Sun looks like in 3D. Here's a quick render. I might add an improved version of this to a room in my Star Central VR world.
Brown: dust, red: ionized gas, blue: hot stars.
Brown: dust, red: ionized gas, blue: hot stars.
October 10, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Someone was asking what the interstellar medium around the Sun looks like in 3D. Here's a quick render. I might add an improved version of this to a room in my Star Central VR world.
Brown: dust, red: ionized gas, blue: hot stars.
Brown: dust, red: ionized gas, blue: hot stars.
Unfiltered glimpses of our solar system revealed through raw, breathtaking images. Our group works with one goal in mind: to someday capture such images from other solar systems.
"Outer Space" by Sander van den Berg is a magical experience.
The original (vimeo.com/40234826) is gone but the NASA version remains (youtu.be/vBe-onc4aic).
The original (vimeo.com/40234826) is gone but the NASA version remains (youtu.be/vBe-onc4aic).
October 11, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Unfiltered glimpses of our solar system revealed through raw, breathtaking images. Our group works with one goal in mind: to someday capture such images from other solar systems.
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: NASA’s next-gen Habitable Worlds Observatory may be our best chance to find alien life. But can a nation busy ripping itself apart unite to launch a mission to solve life’s cosmic mysteries? By @nadiadrake.bsky.social (and me).
www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-...
NASA’s First-Ever Alien-Hunting Space Telescope Could Enlighten Our New Dark Age
The Habitable Worlds Observatory is poised to tell us whether Earthlike planets are common—if it can get off the ground
www.scientificamerican.com
September 30, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: NASA’s next-gen Habitable Worlds Observatory may be our best chance to find alien life. But can a nation busy ripping itself apart unite to launch a mission to solve life’s cosmic mysteries? By @nadiadrake.bsky.social (and me).
www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-...
“How a Billionaire’s Plan to Reach Another Star Fell Apart”
Our group is still at it, stubbornly in the trenches, steadily chipping away at the key problems that must be solved to reach the nearest stars. The work continues. Onward!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
Our group is still at it, stubbornly in the trenches, steadily chipping away at the key problems that must be solved to reach the nearest stars. The work continues. Onward!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
A $100-Million Mission to Another Star Just Disappeared
An abandoned plan to visit another star highlights the perils of billionaire-funded science
www.scientificamerican.com
September 17, 2025 at 3:14 AM
“How a Billionaire’s Plan to Reach Another Star Fell Apart”
Our group is still at it, stubbornly in the trenches, steadily chipping away at the key problems that must be solved to reach the nearest stars. The work continues. Onward!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
Our group is still at it, stubbornly in the trenches, steadily chipping away at the key problems that must be solved to reach the nearest stars. The work continues. Onward!
www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: For the 1st time, we’ve seen hints of an atmosphere around a potentially habitable exoplanet. If confirmed, this would be a monumental discovery, opening a new era in the search for life beyond Earth. By @astrojonny.bsky.social.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst...
Why a Hint of an Atmosphere on this Alien Planet is Such a Big Deal
A monumental sign of an atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1e could be the precursor to finally finding a living world around another star
www.scientificamerican.com
September 9, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: For the 1st time, we’ve seen hints of an atmosphere around a potentially habitable exoplanet. If confirmed, this would be a monumental discovery, opening a new era in the search for life beyond Earth. By @astrojonny.bsky.social.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Jake Kurlander - talking about the predicted LSST asteroid and TNO discoveries - 80% Solar System small bodies will be discovered in the first two years #EPSCDPS2025
Simulated Solar System Discoveries of LSST
YouTube video by Jake Andrew Kurlander
www.youtube.com
September 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Jake Kurlander - talking about the predicted LSST asteroid and TNO discoveries - 80% Solar System small bodies will be discovered in the first two years #EPSCDPS2025
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Michelle's final paper investigates interstellar objects (such as the 3 detected interstellar comets) for signs of alien technosignatures! So far, all 3 objects are comets, but if there were a probe out there, how could we find out? This paper outlines the methods. 🔭 ☄️ arxiv.org/abs/2508.16825
September 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Michelle's final paper investigates interstellar objects (such as the 3 detected interstellar comets) for signs of alien technosignatures! So far, all 3 objects are comets, but if there were a probe out there, how could we find out? This paper outlines the methods. 🔭 ☄️ arxiv.org/abs/2508.16825
We’re reading “Lightsails for Interstellar Travel: Photonics for Propulsion, Thermal Management and Stability”
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Lightsails for Interstellar Travel: Photonics for Propulsion, Thermal Management and Stability
Lightsails are a highly promising spacecraft concept that has attracted interest in recent years due to its potential to travel at near-relativistic speeds. Such speeds, which current conventional cra...
pubs.acs.org
September 2, 2025 at 2:43 PM
We’re reading “Lightsails for Interstellar Travel: Photonics for Propulsion, Thermal Management and Stability”
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Issue 50 of Principium is now published
- Lead Feature : BOOK REVIEW, The Ross 248 Project.
- Project Hyperion
- Breakthrough Disc
- "Where do you look for ET"
- IAC25
- The Journals
- Interstellar News
.. and more !
Read it here : - i4is.org/principium-50/
Editor: @johninghamdavies.bsky.social
- Lead Feature : BOOK REVIEW, The Ross 248 Project.
- Project Hyperion
- Breakthrough Disc
- "Where do you look for ET"
- IAC25
- The Journals
- Interstellar News
.. and more !
Read it here : - i4is.org/principium-50/
Editor: @johninghamdavies.bsky.social
Principium 50
Principium 50 – Contents
LEAD FEATURE
BOOK REVIEW The Ross 248 Project (<a href="https://i4is.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/BOOK-REVIEW-The-Ross-248-Project-Principium50-2508261234.pdf">https://i4is...
i4is.org
September 2, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Issue 50 of Principium is now published
- Lead Feature : BOOK REVIEW, The Ross 248 Project.
- Project Hyperion
- Breakthrough Disc
- "Where do you look for ET"
- IAC25
- The Journals
- Interstellar News
.. and more !
Read it here : - i4is.org/principium-50/
Editor: @johninghamdavies.bsky.social
- Lead Feature : BOOK REVIEW, The Ross 248 Project.
- Project Hyperion
- Breakthrough Disc
- "Where do you look for ET"
- IAC25
- The Journals
- Interstellar News
.. and more !
Read it here : - i4is.org/principium-50/
Editor: @johninghamdavies.bsky.social
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Reduce the radiation load by more than half, increase efficiency by 20% and make ignition easier by using spin-polarization in a fusion rocket, which aligns the DT fuel atoms and make their neutron release directional.
By @gbruhaug.bsky.social:
arxiv.org/pdf/2108.01211
By @gbruhaug.bsky.social:
arxiv.org/pdf/2108.01211
August 31, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Reduce the radiation load by more than half, increase efficiency by 20% and make ignition easier by using spin-polarization in a fusion rocket, which aligns the DT fuel atoms and make their neutron release directional.
By @gbruhaug.bsky.social:
arxiv.org/pdf/2108.01211
By @gbruhaug.bsky.social:
arxiv.org/pdf/2108.01211
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Technosignature Searches Of Interstellar Objects
astrobiology.com/2025/08/tech... #astrobiology #3IATLAS #interstellar #SETI
astrobiology.com/2025/08/tech... #astrobiology #3IATLAS #interstellar #SETI
Technosignature Searches Of Interstellar Objects - Astrobiology
With the discovery of the third confirmed interstellar object (ISO), 3I/ATLAS, we have entered a new phase in the exploration of these long-predicted objects.
astrobiology.com
August 26, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Technosignature Searches Of Interstellar Objects
astrobiology.com/2025/08/tech... #astrobiology #3IATLAS #interstellar #SETI
astrobiology.com/2025/08/tech... #astrobiology #3IATLAS #interstellar #SETI
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Congratulations to Space Concordia Rocketry Division on the successful launch of Starsailor, featuring the largest student-built bipropellant rocket engine ever flown (35 kN thrust). The launch occurred approximately 1 hr 16 mins into the livestream linked below.
www.youtube.com/live/610YciE...
www.youtube.com/live/610YciE...
l.facebook.com
August 15, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Congratulations to Space Concordia Rocketry Division on the successful launch of Starsailor, featuring the largest student-built bipropellant rocket engine ever flown (35 kN thrust). The launch occurred approximately 1 hr 16 mins into the livestream linked below.
www.youtube.com/live/610YciE...
www.youtube.com/live/610YciE...
We're reading (and hoping for a successful flyby target🤞🤞):
"An Extremely Deep Rubin Survey to Explore the Extended Kuiper Belt and Identify Objects Observable by New Horizons" by @megschwamb.bsky.social
doi.org/10.3847/1538...
"An Extremely Deep Rubin Survey to Explore the Extended Kuiper Belt and Identify Objects Observable by New Horizons" by @megschwamb.bsky.social
doi.org/10.3847/1538...
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doi.org
August 15, 2025 at 2:48 PM
We're reading (and hoping for a successful flyby target🤞🤞):
"An Extremely Deep Rubin Survey to Explore the Extended Kuiper Belt and Identify Objects Observable by New Horizons" by @megschwamb.bsky.social
doi.org/10.3847/1538...
"An Extremely Deep Rubin Survey to Explore the Extended Kuiper Belt and Identify Objects Observable by New Horizons" by @megschwamb.bsky.social
doi.org/10.3847/1538...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Why were we able to see the spiral rocket plume last night, but not during other rocket launches?
The time of day, the Sun’s light, and the direction the rocket heads into space causes this effect…
The time of day, the Sun’s light, and the direction the rocket heads into space causes this effect…
August 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Why were we able to see the spiral rocket plume last night, but not during other rocket launches?
The time of day, the Sun’s light, and the direction the rocket heads into space causes this effect…
The time of day, the Sun’s light, and the direction the rocket heads into space causes this effect…
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
A Saturn mass gas giant may be orbiting Alpha Centauri A, based on solid JWST infrared results and exhaustive simulations of its orbit. It's still a candidate rather than a confirmed world, but follow-up work will tell us soon. www.centauri-dreams.org/2025/08/08/a...
A Candidate Gas Giant at Alpha Centauri A | Centauri Dreams
www.centauri-dreams.org
August 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
A Saturn mass gas giant may be orbiting Alpha Centauri A, based on solid JWST infrared results and exhaustive simulations of its orbit. It's still a candidate rather than a confirmed world, but follow-up work will tell us soon. www.centauri-dreams.org/2025/08/08/a...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Direct images from the James Webb Space Telescope show what could be a Saturn-mass planet around Alpha Centauri.
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
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#astronomy #exoplanets #planetaryscience #cosmology #alphacentauri #jwst #newplanet
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
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#astronomy #exoplanets #planetaryscience #cosmology #alphacentauri #jwst #newplanet
Alpha Centauri Might Have a Planet, Webb Telescope Finds
Direct images from the James Webb Space Telescope show what could be a Saturn-mass planet around Alpha Centauri.
skyandtelescope.org
August 8, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Direct images from the James Webb Space Telescope show what could be a Saturn-mass planet around Alpha Centauri.
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
.
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#astronomy #exoplanets #planetaryscience #cosmology #alphacentauri #jwst #newplanet
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
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#astronomy #exoplanets #planetaryscience #cosmology #alphacentauri #jwst #newplanet
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
I have a complaint about Avi Loeb's latest work and I want to speak to management.
medium.com/@steve.desch...
medium.com/@steve.desch...
This is not the quality of pseudoscience infotainment to which I have grown accustomed
Teasing the public with fraudulent or self-deluded promises of aliens used to mean something. It took work. It meant slapping together…
medium.com
August 8, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I have a complaint about Avi Loeb's latest work and I want to speak to management.
medium.com/@steve.desch...
medium.com/@steve.desch...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
After years of searching, astronomers have found strong evidence of a planet around Alpha Centauri, a near-twin of our Sun in the nearest neighboring star system.
This would also be the closest exoplanet ever observed directly. 🧪🔭
webbtelescope.org/contents/new...
This would also be the closest exoplanet ever observed directly. 🧪🔭
webbtelescope.org/contents/new...
August 7, 2025 at 3:09 PM
After years of searching, astronomers have found strong evidence of a planet around Alpha Centauri, a near-twin of our Sun in the nearest neighboring star system.
This would also be the closest exoplanet ever observed directly. 🧪🔭
webbtelescope.org/contents/new...
This would also be the closest exoplanet ever observed directly. 🧪🔭
webbtelescope.org/contents/new...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Now on @sciam.bsky.social:
Using JWST, astronomers have spotted what seems to be a gas giant planet in the habitable zone of Alpha Centauri A, the nearest sunlike star to our solar system. This is *huge* if true. By @meghanbartels.bsky.social.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst...
Using JWST, astronomers have spotted what seems to be a gas giant planet in the habitable zone of Alpha Centauri A, the nearest sunlike star to our solar system. This is *huge* if true. By @meghanbartels.bsky.social.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst...
Astronomers Are Enthralled by This Potential Planet around Alpha Centauri
In some of its most ambitious work yet, the James Webb Space Telescope looked to spot a planet in a potentially habitable orbit around Alpha Centauri A, the nearest sunlike star to our solar system
www.scientificamerican.com
August 7, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Now on @sciam.bsky.social:
Using JWST, astronomers have spotted what seems to be a gas giant planet in the habitable zone of Alpha Centauri A, the nearest sunlike star to our solar system. This is *huge* if true. By @meghanbartels.bsky.social.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst...
Using JWST, astronomers have spotted what seems to be a gas giant planet in the habitable zone of Alpha Centauri A, the nearest sunlike star to our solar system. This is *huge* if true. By @meghanbartels.bsky.social.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/jwst...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
It gets worse and worse.
If you're interested in the slow-motion train wreck that is Avi's sci-comm on this, here are some of the latest (it's very hard to keep up!)
In which spacecraft can have comae, 3I/ATLAS has a 60% chance of being alien, and new papers validate and adopt his calculations.
If you're interested in the slow-motion train wreck that is Avi's sci-comm on this, here are some of the latest (it's very hard to keep up!)
In which spacecraft can have comae, 3I/ATLAS has a 60% chance of being alien, and new papers validate and adopt his calculations.
More Avi and 3I/ATLAS
Following up on this and this: Today images from the Hubble Space Telescope were published by Jewitt et al., and they show the coma of 3I/ATLAS very well: Would this be enough to convince Avi that it’...
sites.psu.edu
August 6, 2025 at 3:23 PM
It gets worse and worse.
If you're interested in the slow-motion train wreck that is Avi's sci-comm on this, here are some of the latest (it's very hard to keep up!)
In which spacecraft can have comae, 3I/ATLAS has a 60% chance of being alien, and new papers validate and adopt his calculations.
If you're interested in the slow-motion train wreck that is Avi's sci-comm on this, here are some of the latest (it's very hard to keep up!)
In which spacecraft can have comae, 3I/ATLAS has a 60% chance of being alien, and new papers validate and adopt his calculations.
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
🌌 Announcing the Winners of the Project Hyperion Design Competition 🌌 ... hosted by i4iS.
Can we imagine a society that thrives on the journey to the stars?
🏆 Winners
🥇 Chrysalis
🥈 WFP Extreme
🥉 Systema Stellare Proximum
Plus 10 mentions...
Full details are here : www.projecthyperion.org
Can we imagine a society that thrives on the journey to the stars?
🏆 Winners
🥇 Chrysalis
🥈 WFP Extreme
🥉 Systema Stellare Proximum
Plus 10 mentions...
Full details are here : www.projecthyperion.org
Project Hyperion | interstellar generation ship design competition
Project Hyperion explores the feasibility of crewed interstellar travel via generation ships, using current and near-future technologies. A generation ship is a hypothetical spacecraft designed for lo...
www.projecthyperion.org
July 29, 2025 at 10:55 AM
🌌 Announcing the Winners of the Project Hyperion Design Competition 🌌 ... hosted by i4iS.
Can we imagine a society that thrives on the journey to the stars?
🏆 Winners
🥇 Chrysalis
🥈 WFP Extreme
🥉 Systema Stellare Proximum
Plus 10 mentions...
Full details are here : www.projecthyperion.org
Can we imagine a society that thrives on the journey to the stars?
🏆 Winners
🥇 Chrysalis
🥈 WFP Extreme
🥉 Systema Stellare Proximum
Plus 10 mentions...
Full details are here : www.projecthyperion.org
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
New paper! Allow me to introduce TARS = Torqued Accelerator using Radiation from the Sun. TARS (yes inspired by Interstellar!) is a rotating light sail that's capable of launching chip sats into interstellar space using only radiation from the Sun, so let's dive into how it works.
July 26, 2025 at 4:17 PM
New paper! Allow me to introduce TARS = Torqued Accelerator using Radiation from the Sun. TARS (yes inspired by Interstellar!) is a rotating light sail that's capable of launching chip sats into interstellar space using only radiation from the Sun, so let's dive into how it works.
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
Lots of news just came out about strange, rhythmic goings-on in the outer regions of our solar system.
An object called 2020 VN40 moves in sync with Neptune (1 orbit for every 10 of Neptune), suggesting a large population of bodies in similar resonances. 🧪🔭
www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/astrono...
An object called 2020 VN40 moves in sync with Neptune (1 orbit for every 10 of Neptune), suggesting a large population of bodies in similar resonances. 🧪🔭
www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/astrono...
July 26, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Lots of news just came out about strange, rhythmic goings-on in the outer regions of our solar system.
An object called 2020 VN40 moves in sync with Neptune (1 orbit for every 10 of Neptune), suggesting a large population of bodies in similar resonances. 🧪🔭
www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/astrono...
An object called 2020 VN40 moves in sync with Neptune (1 orbit for every 10 of Neptune), suggesting a large population of bodies in similar resonances. 🧪🔭
www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/astrono...
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
It's paper day! The first science paper with data from @vrubinobs.bsky.social's survey camera, the mighty LSSTCam, is a VERY quick turnaround of Rubin's observations thus far of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. ☄️
Chandler et al., submitted 🔭
A 🧵
Chandler et al., submitted 🔭
A 🧵
NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory Observations of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1)
We report on the observation and measurement of astrometry, photometry, morphology, and activity of the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, also designated C/2025 N1 (ATLAS), with the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin ...
arxiv.org
July 21, 2025 at 5:28 AM
It's paper day! The first science paper with data from @vrubinobs.bsky.social's survey camera, the mighty LSSTCam, is a VERY quick turnaround of Rubin's observations thus far of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. ☄️
Chandler et al., submitted 🔭
A 🧵
Chandler et al., submitted 🔭
A 🧵
Reposted by McGill Interstellar Flight Research Group
