When Sedna was first discovered, it was roughly 8 billion miles (13 billion kilometers) from the Sun, a report<\/a> from Gizmodo explains. As a point of reference, Pluto\u2019s average distance from the Sun is 3.7 billion miles. In 2076, it will be within 7 billion miles of the Sun. That is still three times farther from the Sun than Neptune. However, it may be just close enough for an experimental spacecraft to bridge the gap.<\/p>\n Nuclear propulsion and solar sailing <\/p>\n The team\u2019s first proposal is the Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) rocket engine. This is currently under development at Princeton University\u2019s Plasma Physics Laboratory. This engine is being designed to produce both thrust and electrical power from a controlled nuclear fusion reaction.<\/p>\n \u201cThe DFD presents a promising alternative to conventional propulsion, offering high thrust-to-weight ratio and continuous acceleration,\u201d the researchers explained in their paper. \u201cHowever, its feasibility remains subject to key engineering challenges, including plasma stability, heat dissipation, and operational longevity under deep-space radiation.\u201d <\/p>\n The second concept would use a solar sail to harness energy from the Sun. This would allow a lightweight probe to fly at incredibly high speeds on its journey to the outer solar system. Solar sails are a proven concept. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1751535132_964_image.png\")
An artist\u2019s impression of LightSail 2 orbiting Earth. Source: The Planetary Society<\/a><\/p>\n