New propulsion systems could enable a mission to Sedna

“…far beyond the orbit of Pluto, lies Sedna, [a] dwarf planet [with] such an orbit that takes more than 11,000 years to complete a single journey around the sun.”

“[Sedna] is expected to pass through its closest point to the sun in 2075–2076, nearly three times farther than Neptune. After, Sedna will not return to this proximity for hundreds of years.”

Direct fusion drive can get to Sedna in 10 years. Solar sail in 7 years. Both technologies are unproven (to say the least).

Man, this is bittersweet. On the sweet side, here’s an interesting thing to study & a couple potentially transformative transit methods that would need to be online in the early 2060s – 35 years from now. That means jobs, science, materials, fusion…all good things with a payoff of studying a unique (we think) piece of our solar system. And plenty of side benefits along the way.

On the bitter side, NASA is being gutted & funding clawed back, so the likelihood that anything positive comes of this feels near nil, at least in the USA. Hopefully I’m just pessimistic & NASA gets reinvigorated or someone else (ESA? China?) picks up the slack.

New propulsion system could enable mission in time!