The mission would leave in 150 years. It would last for 20-30 years one way.
The laser (a bank of lasers, more likely) would need to consume energy at a rate approximately equal to the world's entire current electricity production, basically continuously for the duration of the mission.
That seems absurd of course. But again, you can't underestimate compounded interest applied to GDP growth (see above comment). In 150 years time, the cost to do the mission could easily be the same percentage of US GDP as the Apollo mission was in the 1960's.
Of course if the assumption of continuous future economic growth doesn't hold up, this isn't going to happen. But in that case the world will have much bigger problems... this will be something of a non-issue.
The laser (a bank of lasers, more likely) would need to consume energy at a rate approximately equal to the world's entire current electricity production, basically continuously for the duration of the mission.
That seems absurd of course. But again, you can't underestimate compounded interest applied to GDP growth (see above comment). In 150 years time, the cost to do the mission could easily be the same percentage of US GDP as the Apollo mission was in the 1960's.
Of course if the assumption of continuous future economic growth doesn't hold up, this isn't going to happen. But in that case the world will have much bigger problems... this will be something of a non-issue.