Imagine boarding a ship knowing you will never see its final destination — nor will your children, grandchildren, or even great-great-grandchildren. That’s the reality envisioned by the Chrysalis Project, an ambitious concept for humanity’s first true multi-generational voyage to the stars.
Designed to carry up to 1,500 people, Chrysalis is not just a spacecraft — it’s a self-contained world. The journey to Alpha Centauri, our closest stellar neighbour, is expected to last around 400 years. Over that vast span of time, entire generations will live and die aboard the vessel, with life on Earth existing only in stories and digital archives.
The mission’s ultimate target is Proxima Centauri b, a potentially habitable exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri. Scientists believe that, if conditions are right, it could be one of the best candidates for sustaining human life beyond our solar system.
Chrysalis is designed as a massive, self-sustaining habitat — complete with living quarters, agricultural zones, recreational spaces, and research facilities — all to ensure survival and societal continuity during the centuries-long journey.
While the project remains a visionary concept, it has already earned recognition for its innovative approach to interstellar travel. It redefines the idea of a space mission, transforming it into an entirely new way of life — a civilization in motion.
Whether Chrysalis ever launches, it offers a tantalizing glimpse into what humanity’s first true voyage to another sun might look like — and how we may one day take our place among the stars.