Suspended Consciousness as a Method for Interstellar Human Travel to Proxima Centauri B
Sadique Shaikh
Proxima Centauri b, an exoplanet orbiting our nearest stellar neighbor 4.24 light-years away, remains one of the most promising candidates for life beyond Earth. However, current technologies—whether chemical propulsion, ion propulsion, or solar sail–based CubeSat concepts such as NASA’s “Tree of Life” initiative—face extreme temporal constraints. Human travel to Proxima Centauri b at existing spacecraft speeds would take thousands of years. Even breakthrough propulsion technologies require decades to centuries to complete such a journey. This research introduces the theoretical framework of Suspended Consciousness, a concept proposing intentional long-duration suppression of active consciousness—akin to reversible coma induction—to minimize entropy, slow biological aging, and preserve the traveler’s physiological state during multi-century voyages. Unlike cryogenic stasis or suspended animation at the cellular level, Suspended Consciousness focuses on halting the subjective time of the individual rather than physically freezing the body. This paper examines the conceptual basis, biological feasibility, neurological assumptions, engineering requirements, mission architecture, ethical concerns, and projected implications for interstellar human expansion. Diagrams are included to illustrate operational models, consciousness-suspension cycles, and mission-stage integration.
