Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
201,818 studies31 sourcesUpdated 20 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0The European Physical Journal C

Testing black holes with interstellar missions: I. Orbiting probes

  • Leda Gao1
  • Cosimo Bambi1,2
  • Yi Fan1,3
  • Temurbek Mirzaev1,4,2
  • Abdurakhmon Nosirov1,5
  • Andrea Santangelo1,5
5 affiliations
  1. 1Fudan University
  2. 2New Uzbekistan University
  3. 3Soochow University
  4. 4Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences
  5. 5Eberhard-Karls Universität Tübingen
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Recently, we showed that the possibility of an interstellar mission to the closest black hole, while highly speculative and extremely challenging, is not completely unrealistic within the next few decades. Since such a mission might last around a century and require significant financial and human resources, it is crucial to assess whether it can truly study black holes and test General Relativity at levels unattainable by observational facilities in the Solar System for many years. In this manuscript, we assume the capability to decelerate the spacecraft and present a preliminary study of how probes orbiting a black hole could test the nature of the compact object.

Versions

Related

  1. Testing black holes with interstellar missions: II. Flyby probes
    Yi Fan, Cosimo Bambi, Leda Gao +2
    The European Physical Journal CPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full text1 citedGeneral astronomyHigh-energy & particle physicsCrossrefDOAJ
  2. Pulsars as natural launchers of interstellar probes
    Zaza N. Osmanov
    arXivPreprintCC BY 4.0Full textHigh-energy astrophysicsarXiv
  3. Gravitational wave signals from primordial black holes orbiting solar-type stars
    Vitorio A de Lorenci, David I Kaiser, Patrick Peter +2
    Physical Review DPeer-reviewedHAL deposit licenceFull text6 citedHigh-energy astrophysicsSolar & stellar physicsHAL
  4. Wave optical imaging of an oscillating electric dipole orbiting a black hole
    Filipe Nazaré, João S. Santos, Vitor Cardoso +1
    arXivPreprintCC BY 4.0Full textHigh-energy astrophysicsGravitation & general relativityarXiv
  5. Nonthermal hotspot orbiting the supermassive black hole Sgr A*
    Alejandro Cruz-Osorio, David Barrero-González, Juan J. Zaldívar +1
    arXivPreprintCC BY 4.0Full textHigh-energy astrophysicsarXiv

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{gao2026testing,
  title = {{Testing black holes with interstellar missions: I. Orbiting probes}},
  author = {Leda Gao and Cosimo Bambi and Yi Fan and Temurbek Mirzaev and Abdurakhmon Nosirov and Andrea Santangelo},
  journal = {The European Physical Journal C},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1140/epjc/s10052-026-16371-y},
  url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjc/s10052-026-16371-y},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Testing black holes with interstellar missions: I. Orbiting probes
AU  - Leda Gao
AU  - Cosimo Bambi
AU  - Yi Fan
AU  - Temurbek Mirzaev
AU  - Abdurakhmon Nosirov
AU  - Andrea Santangelo
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/21
JO  - The European Physical Journal C
DO  - 10.1140/epjc/s10052-026-16371-y
UR  - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjc/s10052-026-16371-y
AB  - Recently, we showed that the possibility of an interstellar mission to the closest black hole, while highly speculative and extremely challenging, is not completely unrealistic within the next few decades. Since such a mission might last around a century and require significant financial and human resources, it is crucial to assess whether it can truly study black holes and test General Relativity at levels unattainable by observational facilities in the Solar System for many years. In this manuscript, we assume the capability to decelerate the spacecraft and present a preliminary study of how probes orbiting a black hole could test the nature of the compact object.
SN  - 1434-6044
SN  - 1434-6052
ER  -