The Exoplanet Next-Door: Astronomers Discover World in Nearest Star System - Scientific American

You have to be as small as a computer chip to get there?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/alpha-centauri-planet/

$100-Million Plan Will Send Probes to the Nearest Star - Scientific American

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/100-million-plan-will-send-probes-to-the-nearest-star1/