Me: Summarize projects active as of early 2022 involving plans to send objects out of the solar system
ChatGPT (v4) Voyager 1 and 2: Continuing their journey, both launched in the 1970s. They are studying the outer solar system and interstellar space. New Horizons: After its Pluto flyby, it’s on an extended mission to explore the Kuiper Belt and beyond.
Pioneer 10 and 11: Although no longer sending data, they continue to travel out of the solar system.
Interstellar Probe Study: A NASA conceptual study for a mission to explore the interstellar medium.
Breakthrough Starshot Initiative: A research and engineering project aiming to develop a proof-of-concept fleet of light sail spacecraft, capable of making the journey to Alpha Centauri.
NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Programs: Some concepts under study, such as solar sails and fusion propulsion, could potentially send craft out of the solar system. These projects represent a blend of ongoing missions, conceptual studies, and advanced propulsion research with potential applications for future interstellar travel.