Planet Nine: How challenging is the journey to edge of Solar System?
A hypothetical planet
If astronomers succeed in discovering the elusive Planet Nine, a hypothetical world believed to be lurking in the outer reaches of our solar system, sending a spacecraft to visit this distant world would be an immense challenge.
The journey to Planet Nine, if it exists, would take decades using current technology.
Some experts reportedly estimated that a probe could potentially reach Planet Nine in as little as 20 years using a carefully planned trajectory that involves gravity assists from the outer planets to gain speed.
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"I am confident that in the far future, humans will be able to visit Planet Nine," said Andreas Hein, a space systems engineer at the University of Luxembourg.
But it would not be possible with today's propulsion systems, which are simply not powerful enough to make the journey in a reasonable timeframe.
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Obstacles in reaching Planet Nine
The main obstacle is the vast distance to Planet Nine.
If it exists, the planet is estimated to orbit the Sun at a distance of 400 to 800 times farther than Earth, or 13 to 26 times beyond the orbit of Neptune. At such extreme distances, even small changes in velocity make a big difference in travel time.
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Sending a spacecraft to Planet Nine would require advances in propulsion technology, such as nuclear thermal rockets or even more exotic concepts like laser sails that use powerful lasers to propel lightweight craft.
A study published in 2022 suggested that a light sail could potentially reach Planet Nine in as little as seven years, but the researchers estimated it would take at least 20 years for this technology to become practical.
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In the meantime, astronomers are racing to confirm the existence of Planet Nine using powerful new telescopes like the Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile, which is scheduled to begin operations in late 2025.
If Planet Nine is detected, it would likely take at least a decade or more for space agencies to plan and approve a mission to visit it.
(With inputs from agencies)