The flight of the mysterious object 1I/Oumuamua through the solar system in 2017 has sparked a lot of controversy in the world of astronomy. There are scientists who believe it was a space probe sent by an alien civilization. Soon we will know the whole truth, as scientists are preparing a mission to the object.

1I/Oumuamua fascinated scientists from the beginning. They had never dealt with such a celestial body. Calculations showed that it flew toward us from Vega, the brightest star in the constellation of Lute George, which is only 25 light-years from Earth. Researchers were surprised by the object’s unusual shape. At first they thought it looked like a cigar, but Harvard scientists believe we were looking at it at an angle; in fact, it was a disc less than a millimeter thick and of sail-like proportions.

Not only that, they believe we are dealing here with a space sail sent for research purposes by an alien civilization determined to see if something interesting is hidden in our solar system, since it is quite close to Vega. 1I/Oumuamua has a surface that reflects the sun’s rays 10 times more strongly than objects known to us in the form of asteroids or comets.

Scientists want to send a mission to 1I/Oumuamua. According to the plan just unveiled, the apparatus was to take off from Earth in 2028. During its journey, it will fly close to Earth twice and close to Venus and Jupiter once each. Later in the mission, it will follow a mysterious object. Scientists want the probe to be based on a solar sail and powered by a laser. The ship should catch up with the object after 2050. Breakthrough Starshot will be involved in the project, creating the technology that can be used to send a mission to Proxima Centauri.