David Burks’s scientific contributions

Traveling far beyond the Sun's sphere of influence, the Interstellar Probe (IP) will be launched to an extreme velocity to reach the interstellar medium within 15 years. Flying the farthest and the fastest, the IP would venture into the space between our Solar system and neighbouring stars, on a 50-year mission of discovery. The IP is to be launched by a NASA Space Launch System (SLS) launcher that has some significant performance enhancements. The enhanced SLS will utilize the new high performance, Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) in tandem with two other smaller upper stages. The use of three upper stages will provide the extremely high velocities needed. The 15-year trip time is significantly shorter than that which can be achieved by the use of any other launch vehicle. The IP will be the fastest element ever launched and will pass Voyager 1 (launched in 1977) on its journey, travelling at an astonishing rate of seven astronomical units per year, more than twice as fast as Voyager. The IP will enable investigation of the outer reaches of our solar system, the interstellar medium's influence on the solar system, and characterization of interstellar gas, low-energy cosmic rays, dust and magnetic fields. Launch by the enhanced SLS at such high speed will provide for the collection of scientific data sooner, allowing for new discoveries to occur much earlier.