Schedule

Project Schedule

The mission to Epsilon Eridani could be implemented using the following timeline. The premise of the schedule is to reduce risk by completing the riskiest development as soon as possible. The nuclear reactor has not yet been demonstrated, so it will be developed first. The ion thruster has undergone preliminary design, but the flight model has not yet been developed. Finally, the dish antenna poses some risk because of its size, so it is also developed early in the schedule.

Table Key: I&V - Integration and Validation

Start Time	TWTA	Dish Ant.	Launch	Ion Drive	Power	Struc-ture	Com & Elect.	Imag-ing.	I&V
+0.00 yr					X
+0.50 yr					X
+1.00 yr				X	X
+1.50 yr		X		X	X
+2.00 yr		X		X	X
+2.50 yr		X		X	X
+3.00 yr		X		X	X
+3.50 yr	X			X	X
+4.00 yr				X	X		X
+4.50 yr				X	X		X
+5.00 yr				X	X		X
+5.50 yr				X	X		X
+6.00 yr					X	X
+6.50 yr					X	X
+7.00 yr					X	X		X
+7.50 yr					X	X		X
+8.00 yr									X
+8.50 yr									X
+9.00 yr									X
+9.50 yr									X

After developing the riskiest components, the less risky components are developed. The TWTA and dish antenna are completed in time to start development on the communication system and associated electronics. The spacecraft structure and imaging system are both low-risk items and can be developed in the final years without much risk.

Mission launch will occur after 10 years of development.

Development of the ground support antennas can occur at any point over the next 14000 years. As long as a cost sharing or usage agreement can be negotiated with academic and industry partners, development can begin as soon as the array is required.