FUTURE SPACEFLIGHT

Voyager 1 is our most travelled spacecraft to date, clocking up a mammoth 12 billion km during its incredible journey to the edge of our solar system. However, this long-haul trip has taken over 30 years to complete. What's more, even at speeds of over 35,000 mph, Voyager will take a further 20,000 years to reach the middle of the Oort Cloud, the hazy swarm of comets that surrounds the solar system. Proxima Centauri, our nearest star, is twice this distance again. Clearly, if we want to explore further than our celestial doorstep, we must find new modes of space travel. From the feasible to the fantastic, here is a run-down of top transport options...
	Solar Sails Made from flimsy, fragile material, solar sails could be the next big thing in space travel. Rather than using the wind to push them along, solar sails are propelled by sunlight.
	Ion Engines Ion engines have the same thrust as that of a piece of paper on your hand. Find out how these feeble electric engines could provide the means for us to travel into deep space.
	Nuclear Power One of the most feasible, yet controversial, methods of space transport is by nuclear power. Decide for yourself whether nuclear rockets should provide us with a pathway to the stars.
	Antimatter Spacecraft Antimatter, the alter-ego of matter, is the most efficient fuel possible, converting 100% of its mass into energy. Find out what is preventing us from harnessing the awesome power of antimatter.
	Flying Saucers Flying saucers - fact or fantasy? Whatever your opinion, new saucer designs could be set to send us into space.
	Space Elevators If you suffer from vertigo, a trip on a 40,000km-high elevator may not be your best option for space transport. Unbelievable as it may sound, NASA are researching designs for a giant space tower, possibly lassoed to an asteroid.