A Von Neumann Probe is the human name given to self-replicating spacecraft used by most interstellar civilizations.
Overview
In most cases, if a civilization wishes to mine the resources of an asteroid belt or even an entire planetary body such as a moon, one of the most efficient means of doing so is by utilizing spacecraft programmed to gather material and replicate themselves. In most cases, only one spacecraft needs to be built by a civilization and upon encountering natural bodies, would be able to mine the materials in order to create more of itself.
Each class of probe can vary from civilization but for the most part contains the following basic components:
- System AI: since these probes are unmanned, they will require some sort of onboard intelligence
- Self-repairing capabilities: these probes would have the hardwired programming within to repair damage caused.
- Factory: inner mechanism used by the probe to create new parts for new probes.
- Engines: used for travel between planetary bodies and stars.
- Memory storage: used for the storage of knowledge programmed into the probes.
Uses
These probes can be used in multiple ways.
One of the most common uses is in early interstellar colonization. For example, it is theorized that the First Civilization utilized these types of probes to settle star systems due to lack of planetary bodies near where it is theorized their homeworld was located.
Another variant in which these probes is the idea of a seeder ship. These are ships used by a civilization who has not yet discovered any of the various forms of FTL. They would store genetic information either by embryonic storage or by recreating the genetic material utilizing molecular nanotechnology. These ships are either used to terraform specific worlds for future settlement or to terraform and colonize these worlds with life grown from the genetic information stored on the probes.
One other use for these types of spacecraft is for memory storage. New Alexandria uses these probes within their own system in order to spread out the constant stream of knowledge downloaded into its memory banks daily.
One of the more common uses for these probes by advanced civilizations are in the creation of a Wormhole Gate or Wormhole Hub. These probes are released near a star system with no native life and mine the entire system for raw materials in order to construct the Gate or Hub. The Confederacy of Borealis and its member nations use this technology when constructing new Wormhole Gates or Hubs.
A more sinister way to use these probes are what are known as Berzerkers, or Von Neumann probes designed to exterminate life forms. The most famous example is The Pestilence, a Berzerker let out during the Fornax War that still wreaks havoc to this day. Another example is how the Un'oit utilized this technology during their wars with the Thulcandran Federation, destroying three newly established colonies and five research stations.