Chrysalis: 58km Generation Ship Design for 400-Year Voyage to Proxima Centauri b
The Chrysalis design aims to create a generation ship for a 400-year journey to Proxima Centauri b, accommodating 2,400 people. Winning the 2025 Project Hyperion competition, it details the engineering challenges of multi-generational space travel, including life support, propulsion, and radiation shielding.
The ship's 58-kilometer diameter facilitates artificial gravity through rotation, while assembly is planned at Lagrange points. Fusion power is proposed for propulsion, though suitable reactors are not yet operational. The design also addresses ecological closure and social cohesion strategies over 16 generations, acknowledging the complexities that must be resolved for such a mission to succeed.
