Manned Space Travel.....Pbbbbbttttttt!

[Revoltingest]

This is why we need Battlestars...

I'd start with something more immediately achievable....

 

[Quetzal]

I'd start with something more immediately achievable....

pbbbbbttttttt...

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

pbbbbbttttttt...

okay...cat on a double cheeseburger in space...I don't get it...

 

[Quetzal]

okay...cat on a double cheeseburger in space...I don't get it...

I thought we were having a "most ridiculous space vehicle" contest. I am competitive by nature.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

We'd be talking about far far more than thousands of years with our current or envisioned engines.

well depending on where we wanted to go- lets say 5000 years, at 10% speed of light which some see as possible, 500 LY- would give us about a quarter of a million stars in that range.


And the galaxy is billions of years old, but only about 100 Kly across, so any single civilization with technology little better than ours, could have colonized the whole place several times over by now.

 

[Revoltingest]

well depending on where we wanted to go- lets say 5000 years, at 10% speed of light which some see as possible, 500 LY- would give us about a quarter of a million stars in that range.


And the galaxy is billions of years old, but only about 100 Kly across, so any single civilization with technology little better than ours, could have colonized the whole place several times over by now.

0.1c (@20K miles/second) is pretty ambitious.
And don't forget that much time is spent accelerating to cruising speed,
& then just as much time decelerating. This last stage is really important.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

0.1c (@20K miles/second) is pretty ambitious.
And don't forget that much time is spent accelerating to cruising speed,
& then just as much time decelerating. This last stage is really important.

Very true, but cryogenics might help with that also- greatly extending practical Gforces. Acceleration would still be limited by thrust- but deceleration - much quicker if you can ram something at your destination
My wife already employs this strategy when driving

 

[Quetzal]

This last stage is really important.

It is also quite difficult given the complete lack of friction that can be used to slow the vehicle down. All of the energy to slow down would have to come from the vehicle itself.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

There would of course be other serious logistical hurdles to consider:

 

[Wu Wei]

OK, we've been to the Moon, & it was fun.
But Mars is a completely different animal, with far more daunting problems & costs awaiting.
Some say we need to colonize it to preserve our species.
Poppycock!
We'd just be taking our problems there....if we even survived there.

There are better places to spend money.
Look at this bargain (only a billion & a half dollars).....
Atacama Large Millimeter Array - Wikipedia
It's not only cheap, but there's no chance it will crash & burn during its long mission.

Mars is just in our backyard....but this fella lets us see across the universe with a new & powerful vision.
And it has a greater chance of finding alien life.

So basically you are trying to make Scientific geeks heros while they sit safely on their backsides looking a computer images being transmitted to them from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array.....instead of the brave, heroic, cool, deserving of praise astronaut

 

[Revoltingest]

So basically you are trying to make Scientific geeks heros while they sit safely on their backsides looking a computer images being transmitted to them from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array.....instead of the brave, heroic, cool, deserving of praise astronaut

I'm OK with launching bears into space.
No spaceship needed !

 

[suncowiam]

This thread has been hijacked by what I believe to be called bromance.

Yes, I'm jealous.

I think at some point in our civilization time frame, we will need to physically explore and colonize other planets. It's hard to suggest exactly when is a good time. Resources could always be put to better uses. I wouldn't mind if the whole world stopped its military output. If I could choose, I would siphon other resources to space exploration. If this becomes a private venture, then does cost still matter?

 

[Quetzal]

This thread has been hijacked by what I believe to be called bromance.

Yes, I'm jealous.

We have meetings every other Tuesday at @Wirey 's house.

 

[Quetzal]

If this becomes a private venture, then does cost still matter?

For us regular folk? I don't think as much because it doesn't directly impact us until it is time to buy tickets.

 

[Wu Wei]

The Colonization of Mars is beyond any doubt incredibly dangerous and expensive venture without any guarantee of success. Heck, last I knew they were saying, that as far as the first astronauts to Mars are concerned, it is a one way trip. And there are many more things that are more deserving or in need of that money and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array is by far cheaper with a much better return for the dollar. However is that needed at this time and is it more beneficial to us to spend the money there than in other places.

But being a kid growing up watching the Apollo missions on TV and growing up hearing about Mars and putting a human on Mars has left many fixated on Mars with little thought of much else

 

[Brickjectivity]

I think at some point in our civilization time frame, we will need to physically explore and colonize other planets. It's hard to suggest exactly when is a good time. Resources could always be put to better uses. I wouldn't mind if the whole world stopped its military output. If I could choose, I would siphon other resources to space exploration. If this becomes a private venture, then does cost still matter?

No. Private ventures are private.

 

[suncowiam]

For us regular folk? I don't think as much because it doesn't directly impact us until it is time to buy tickets.

That's a good point as to who this service will be available for. I just hope that a private venture can spearhead the processes and technologies involved so that other organizations can piggy back on. Kind of similar to how Tesla is not patenting some of their battery technologies so other companies can get on the band wagon.

 

[suncowiam]

We have meetings every other Tuesday at @Wirey 's house.

I've heard that if you enter @Wirey 's house, you don't come out.

 

[Quetzal]

That's a good point as to who this service will be available for. I just hope that a private venture can spearhead the processes and technologies involved so that other organizations can piggy back on. Kind of similar to how Tesla is not patenting some of their battery technologies so other companies can get on the band wagon.

SpaceX is taking a similar route. Not surprising given the same guy is behind both. Competition is healthy.

 

[Quetzal]

I've heard that if you enter @Wirey 's house, you don't come out.

I wanted to stay but he said that "being afraid of your president" was not a viable excuse to rent out his couch.