Magellan Program

The Magellan Project was an ambitious Western Alliance scientific project to send unmanned probe ships to nearby star systems. These ships then dropped survey probes onto worlds that might be suitable for human habitation.

History

Western Alliance scientists reported to the Alliance World Parliment in 2028 regarding the possibility of sending fusion powered exploration probes to nearby star systems. While some debate occurred in the Parliament, it was ultimately decided to approve this daring experiment.

The main plan was to send eight fusion powered vehicles, each equipped with several survey probes that would be dropped onto perspective interstellar worlds. These probes would then relay their observations back to the main vehicle and that would, in turn, be relayed back to Earth.

The scientific community moved quickly and within a year of the Parliamentary approval (2029) the first interstellar probe ship was completed and christened Magellan One. While the design of the probe ships were new, they were still based on the fusion drives that made the AS Columbia mission to Mars so successful.

Magellan One was launched from Crippen Station in 2030 bound for Tau Ceti.

The Magellan Project was a resounding success with three probe ships finding and reporting on habitable worlds. Despite the excitement generated by these discoveries, the Alliance Parliament did not authorize further exploration due to high cost and political pressure from the poorer nations of the Western Alliance.

Interstellar space exploration languished until the start of the 22nd century.

An interesting footnote to the Magellan Project was the TAS Pathfinder discovering one of Magellan One's survey drones on the surface of Tau Ceti IV in 2108.

Accomplishments

Magellan One

Discovered Tau Ceti system roughly 24 years after launch from Crippen Station in 2030

TAS Pathfinder finds Magellan One probe in 2108 on surface of Tau Ceti IV

Magellan Two

No discoveries reported

Magellan Three

No discoveries reported

Magellan Four

Discovered Epsilon Eridani

Magellan Five

Discovered Epsilon Indi

Magellan Six

Failed to decelerate and was lost

Magellan Seven

No discoveries reported

Magellan Eight

No discoveries reported

References

• DropShips and JumpShips - pg. 8,9