A Von Neumann probe is a hypothetical self-replicating spacecraft, capable of using local raw materials to construct copies of itself, that could in principle explore and colonize an entire galaxy over a long enough time even at low speeds. The concept extends mathematician John von Neumann's theoretical work on self-reproducing machines to interstellar exploration, and is discussed both as a plausible technology for a very advanced civilization and as a candidate explanation within Fermi Paradox debates for why such probes have apparently not been observed.
Facts
Concept Domain Formulated YearVon Neumann's theoretical work on self-reproducing automata dates to the late 1940s and early 1950s; it was compiled and published posthumously in 1966 as Theory of Self-Reproducing Automata. Connections
Associated With
Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationSelf-replicating spacecraft, concept section
Von Neumann argued that the most effective way of performing large-scale mining operations such as mining an entire moon or asteroid belt would be by self-replicating spacecraft, taking advantage of their exponential growth.
Self-replicating spacecraft, lead section
A von Neumann probe is a spacecraft capable of replicating itself.
- Associated With: Fermi Paradox
- Associated With: Dyson Sphere
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