Contest invites teams to design a ‘generation starship’ for a 250-year journey
A groundbreaking public contest has recently been launched, inviting participants to design a generation spacecraft capable of transporting humans to distant planets beyond our solar system. This innovative spacecraft, named Project Hyperion, is aptly titled as it would require multiple lifetimes to traverse the vast expanses of interstellar space. The concept behind this spacecraft involves a scenario where the original crew members would age and eventually pass away during the lengthy journey, with their descendants taking over the operation of the ship. It is envisioned that by the time the spacecraft reaches another star system, the great-great-great-grandchildren of the initial pioneers would be the ones to set foot on an alien planet.
The competition, known as Project Hyperion, is being organized by an international think tank comprised of experts in architecture, engineering, anthropology, and urban planning. With a total of $10,000 US in prizes up for grabs, the top three designs will be selected for a spaceship capable of accommodating up to a thousand individuals on a voyage to a distant star system. In addition to the spacecraft’s design, participants are tasked with proposing ideas on how to maintain a harmonious and orderly community throughout the duration of the voyage.
While the prospect of such a generation spacecraft is still in the realm of science fiction, the competition aims to stimulate creative thinking and innovative solutions to the challenges that would be faced on such a monumental journey. Current space exploration technologies, including our fastest rockets, are inadequate for deep space travel. For instance, it took NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft over four decades to reach interstellar space, a mere fraction of the distance to a neighboring star.
The focus of the Project Hyperion competition is not on the technical aspects of propulsion or life support systems, but rather on the design of the habitat and the societal structure of the crew. Drawing inspiration from science fiction works like the movie “Passengers” and Arthur C. Clarke’s novel “Rendezvous with Rama,” the competition envisions a scenario where crew members would not be in suspended animation but would live out their lives aboard the ship, passing on the torch to successive generations.
To gain insight into the challenges of living in a closed environment for extended periods, the Biosphere 2 experiment serves as a valuable case study. Conducted in the early 1990s, the Biosphere 2 project aimed to simulate a self-sustaining colony in space. However, the crew encountered difficulties with managing carbon dioxide levels and sustaining oxygen levels, highlighting the complexities of replicating Earth’s biosphere in a confined space.
Beyond the ecological challenges, managing the human dynamics in a multi-generational spacecraft presents a formidable task. Issues such as interpersonal conflicts, differing ideologies, and potential mutinies must be addressed in the design of the spacecraft and its societal structure. The competition encourages participants to consider how the crew’s society would be organized, governed, and maintained over successive generations born in space.
As the deadline for entries approaches in 2025, teams of designers, engineers, and social scientists are invited to collaborate on innovative solutions to the engineering, ecological, and social complexities of interstellar space travel. The lessons learned from this visionary project may not only advance our understanding of space exploration but also offer insights that could be applied to addressing challenges on Earth. The journey to the stars may be a distant dream, but the possibilities it presents are endless.
