"Centauri Dreams tells the story of what the key researchers in interstellar exploration are doing, and how they move their projects forward, when most of the relevant science has not been experimentally verified, and most of the engineering is still decades, if not centuries, in the future. The challenges in terms of materials science, navigation, communications, and most of all propulsion are daunting. And by necessity, these challenges push much of the thinking about interstellar missions to the brink of (and sometimes into the realm of) science fiction. Yet the people involved in working on the Centauri projects are unambiguously thoughtful and serious and, most of all, optimistic about the importance and eventual success of their work." "In this front-line report, Paul Gilster investigates not just the science but the spirit of these thinkers and researchers, who after all are addressing one of the most profound questions about the future of human exploration."--BOOK JACKET.