Timeline

A complete Gannt chart of the mission from the design phase to arrival is available here.

The project will have a total of three distinct launches:

(1) Launch of the He-3 extractor
(2) Terrestrial launches of the EESP and inertial confinement fusion drive propulsion system
(3) Space launch of the EESP toward Epsilon Eridani

Much of the research will be done concurrently. However, since we are launching to Jupiter for the extraction of He-3 and for the final launch to Epsilon Eridani, the launch cycles must be coordinated to take advantage of gravitational slingshots (as the current Juno mission is utilizing).

From the Gannt chart, the He-3 design, build, and launch should occur within eight years. With concurrent research teams, all of the EESP subsystems should be ready for launch within 23 years. After the terrestrial launches of the EESP and the inertial confinement fusion drive to Jupiter, the entire system should coincide with the conclusion of the He-3 extraction and be ready for launch to Epsilon Eridani within 29 years. Finally, from the propulsion system estimates the EESP should be able to reach its final orbit around Epsilon Eridani by 125 years.