I am always fascinated by new discoveries, as are we all, and I am constantly reminded that I know nothing, I have been taking some time to do some revision of the basics of late, which has been at a steady pace and purposeful, I actually had been having a healthy digital break, though casting my gaze back to the news I like many others, could not help but review the news of K2-18b.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2-18b
Upon review of my sources, comment was made, that of course further investigation would be required by JWST and similar telemetry no doubt, however, in recent days i had actually contemplated how we may not only practically seed the immediate solar neighbourhood, but potentially investigate such things as K2-18b.
For those of you unaware, this was proposed years ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakthrough_Starshot
Breakthrough Starshot, there are of course some minor issues with the project, namely, potentially igniting the atmosphere on fire, and of course the logistical challenges of launching the tiny objects to be propelled into space, however, i propose the following.
While there are significant logistical challenges presently at time of writing regarding Project Breakthrough Starshot viable, I had contemplated, that with a few small modifications to the initial design of the "tiny spacecraft" to be propelled by the laser to high speeds, to include very small, spider like talons, capable of both scraping, cutting, welding, drilling, in essence, a different tool, for every robotic arm (think a bit like a swiss army knife) then, provide some degree of intelligence to it utilizing AI, we may be able to achieve a return space mission, and most importantly, begin to build, back, from locations that could be potentially viable for space station life (and we all know I am quite fond of space stations over terrestrial colonization - very much a "plutonian" thing)
Essentially, you would have your initial tiny spacecraft, that would act like probes, each, with small sensors capable of searching for, and detecting, (perhaps in dust?) certain micro traces of materials required for general manufacturing, you would send your initial salvo, that would scan, obviously, they would be unable to return transmit due to the vastness of space and current level of technology, however.
I consider, a second wave, could then be sent, with a specific purpose, i.e. welding, construction, and most importantly configuration, much like a jigsaw puzzle i suppose (i happen to be sitting next to a few at present) if the goal is reverse construction, a very little tiny spacecraft is going to have great trouble constructing anything with any reasonable speed of haste, so thus, you configure all these thousand of little tiny spacecraft to be zipped across to wherever they go, and then once they reach there destination, accounting for those that are destroyed due to interaction with interstellar materials, they would simply combine together, to create, a larger version of itself, with, that ability, to not only construct, but, more importantly, interact with, any potential civilization it may encounter on the other side, should there be one.
I hate to use this analogy, but basically i am suggesting the replicators from Stargate SG1, however, not evil, and not out of control with an intent on destroying humanity, which, they could, if, they were not constructed correctly, the idea, theoretical in that wonderful franchise many of us know and love, could in fact, actually, in my view, be the way we initially start to build small networks, to and from, places such as K2-18b and, our surrounding solar neighbourhood.
With consideration to the technical limitations and dangers of conducting such operations on earth, with the near to be constructed Moon Bases, I see it as entirely viable for such an operation to actually be conducted on the "cheap cheap" from places such as Artemis Base (or whatever you decide to eventually call it America) because the laser power would be less, I assume, as no atmosphere to penetrate, nothing to ignite, and also, peppering the moon line atmosphere with these tiny craft, would not require any major expense due to rocketry, you could probably just launch them with an equivalent of a space catapult using kinetic energy to be honest, so, when you get to that point - and actually do, complete your moon base, it would be an incredibly simple thing to do, which, would then allow you, to send out, things, to start building back.
Personally, in my view of colonization of the solar system, and surrounding solar neighbourhood, from my perspective, I find genuine, liveable space stations, with generated gravity, as we are all familiar with from our various science fictions, as being the key, but, with them all interlinked, much like a series of "train stations" in space, of which, rockets, or otherwise, can travel between, creating a vast lattice system in space, and, interestingly, through, the space between galaxies, which personally, has always been, my personal, pet interest place to colonize, if, of course, you can maintain a supply chain.
But I digress, how do we explore K2-18b on the cheap? today? well, get Musky Boy, to launch a laser satellite into a deep Lagrange point, then a whole bunch of micro tiny starships, as I have described, and flick them off towards the planet and see what happens, perhaps put a golden disc or otherwise on it, or simply tell them to start transmitting back in our direction and, notate, all the ways we can receive signals, so they can decide, what is relevant to them, who knows, perhaps you might see a bright flash of light.
Written by Kashmir_Z
Art Generated by Krea.AI