--- title: "Scientists Propose Mission to Catch Up With Mysterious Interstellar Object" description: "Getting a closer look at interstellar rock 'Oumuamua could forever change the way we understand the universe around us, scientists argue." date: "2022-01-20" modified: "2022-01-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/mission-catch-up-interstellar-object" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "`oumuamua" - "interstellar objects" - "interstellar travel" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Propose Mission to Catch Up With Mysterious Interstellar Object ![Getting a closer look at interstellar rock 'Oumuamua could forever change the way we understand the universe around us, scientists argue.]() *\Image: Gemini Observatory/AURA/NSF/Joy Pollard\* ## 'Oumuamua Jokes The interstellar object 'Oumuamua has fascinated and puzzled astronomers ever since it was [first detected four years ago]() — and now some are itching to get a closer look. Getting a closer look could forever change the way we understand the universe around us, they argue, a tantalizing opportunity as rocks like 'Oumuamua are exceedingly rare. That's why a team of researchers from the UK-based nonprofit Initiative for Interstellar Studies is proposing to whip a spacecraft around the Earth twice, then Venus, and finally Jupiter to gain enough momentum to catch up with the unusual rock as part of a mission dubbed Project Lyra. After launching in 2028, the goal is to rendezvous with 'Oumuamua around 26 years later in interstellar space — a massively ambitious task, but also one with immense potential scientific payoff. ## Project Lyra Scientists have proposed a number of different hypotheses as to what the oblong 650-foot object is actually made of. "Theories to explain the nature of 1I/’Oumuamua have included a [fractal dust aggregate](), a [hydrogen iceberg](), a nitrogen iceberg, an [alien solar sail](), fragments of a tidally disrupted planet, and so on," the Interstellar Studies team wrote in a [recent preprint]() about their proposal, [spotted by *Forbes*](). But we won't know for sure until we get to see the object for ourselves. The time is to start planning now, as rocks like 'Oumuamua — which is unique even among other interstellar objects — don't come to visit very often. "We now know such a mission, at least in principle, is achievable," co-author Adam Hibberd, who developed the software for the project, [told *Wired*]() in 2020. "The possible scientific return would be tremendous and might fundamentally alter our understanding of our place in the universe." **READ MORE:** [NASA To ’Oumuamua? The New 22 Year Mission To The Extraordinary Object Said To Be An ‘Alien Solar Sail’]() \[*Forbes*\] **More on 'Oumuamua:** *[Harvard Professor Says Alien Spacecraft May Have Dropped Sensors]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()