Journey to the Pale Red Dot (2017) On the hunt for other solar systems, scientists have discovered an Earth-sized planet orbiting the star nearest to our Sun, Proxima Centauri. It's an important test of whether we are alone in the universe. Stephen Hawking and others are calling for a mission to search for extraterrestrial life. NASA and private companies are studying what it will take to make our first interstellar space flight.