Interstellar space travel seems impossible...

Not just because it would literally take ages, even at the speed of light, but because the speed of light seems to be really slow compared to the size of the universe. We see some galaxies, and stars that are 1,000-1,000,000,000+ light years away, and we know that the universe is constantly in motion, all the stars, and galaxies, no matter how frozen in time they may seem to be, are blasting through space at many millions of miles an hour.

If we were to attempt an interstellar voyage and near light speeds, not only would it take hundreds, or thousands of years, we would end up missing the star we were aiming for, because the light we see from earth is so old. How would we be able to effciently aim ourselves at the target star?

I remember watching something on the science channel, i believe it was Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman, about these particles that could literally "teleport" between different locations on earth. If we could apply this to spacecraft VERY far into the future, the same probelm still applies with the speed of light. Sure we could teleport thtough the cosmos, but the target star wouldve moved from that spot we were looking at on earth, and we would miss it by billions of miles.

Or is there some kind of complex math equation we could do to figure all this out after calculating the speeds, and direction of the targeted stars? Im not a very mathematical person, i hate it, so my observations are based purely on...observation.

Hold your horses my friend. Every place has its time. We shouldn't go 1000 light years away when we haven't even gone to Mars.

You are thinking from the perspective of Earth. First we will explore and colonise local star systems and then from there move to other star systems. That way the journey will be substantially reduced.

Why go from A to C when you can go from B to C.

Interstellar travel will happen if we don't wipe ourselves out. It's inevitable for the survival of our race.

So instead of going from Earth to Pluto, it's better to go from Earth to Mars then to the next planet after next until we reach Pluto.

reply to post by 8fl0z


One concept I've heard of sounds pretty interesting. Rather than the craft itself traveling at a high speed, the craft remains stationary while some sort of crazy device attached bends space in such a way that the space-time in front of it is bulged down, and the space-time in front is bulged up, so the craft would basically ride a space wave. This way, the craft won't be the thing that's moving faster than the speed of light, but space itself will.

Originally posted by TupacShakur
reply to post by 8fl0z

 

One concept I've heard of sounds pretty interesting. Rather than the craft itself traveling at a high speed, the craft remains stationary while some sort of crazy device attached bends space in such a way that the space-time in front of it is bulged down, and the space-time in front is bulged up, so the craft would basically ride a space wave. This way, the craft won't be the thing that's moving faster than the speed of light, but space itself will.

edit on 25-9-2011 by TupacShakur because: To edit my post

I like the sound of that my friend!

reply to post by TupacShakur


Ive heard of this too, but im just thinking about if we tried now to travel through space, sort of like they did in the movie Avatar with that huge solar sail that only gets the craft to near light speeds, because everyone wants to think that light is our speed limit.

Ever read Xenocide by Orson Scott Card? Its part of the Ender series, in the series theres this new, fictional theory of physics called "philotics", which allows for instantaneous communication via machines called ansibles. These machines, would allow me to speak to you, as if we were around the block from each other, on the phone, even if you were 30000 light years away from me. In the book, they found a way to basically rip open the universe, place themselves outside of it, then reopen it, and place themselves somewhere else in the universe, such as different planets, instantaneously. Seems a bit far fetched, but we barely know anything about the way the universe works, so we cant call it totally fictional yet, and dismiss it. I think that if we want to travel through the stars, that we must find a way to instantly travel.

reply to post by 8fl0z


Yep, you're right. We should just quit because people who hate math can't figure it out just by observing space.

Never mind that the journey of 1000 miles begins with 1 step (seize the high ground!) and that all technology (or even understanding) is based on the incremental work of giants who have gone before us.

Future travel to distant destinations like that is probably going to have to be of a dimensional nature. like stepping out of this demension in to a curve or "spaceless" one and then stepping back into this one at a different location. but first we'd have discover said demension.., which is a whole new set of problems..

reply to post by TupacShakur


That is also similar to the way aircraft fly which is by the use of an airfoil, thus creating a pressure wave resulting in aerodynamic lift.

This concept of heavier than air aircraft was also deemed as impossible by the leading scientist at the time known as Lord Kelvin.

Based upon Newtons Laws of Gravity. Which was true, but by negating the effects of gravity using aerodynamically induced lift, we are able to fly multi-Ton aircraft.

So, it just goes to show that we don't necessarily understand everything and that there is a solution to every problem.

It is merely a matter of discovering it.

PEACE

reply to post by 8fl0z


Because of time dilation you can travel great distances in space within the human life time if you can move at near-lightspeed. It only takes so much time to those who stay behind.

What you should ask yourself is why don't somebody come here in the open and help us with technology? The other question is why is our progress so slow. Face it we are the underdeveloped barbarians that can't behave yeet and the rest of the universe are keeping us quarantined until we change our ways. On our earth the industrilised countries are helping the developing contries but it mostly breeds corruption and do only benifit companies that are out for cheap resources. You need to build up a stable society where individuals corrupted ego is not allowed to affect the society before you can give help. If you wanna go out in space then strive to be a better you every day and help your fellow men. When we are ready we will be allowed to leave this solar system. When the leading countries are US (where 99% politicians are bought by big companies/interests) and china (no democracy but at least dont lie about being a dictorship) you kinda see that we are not there yeet.

It's really close minded to think using our technological achievements here on earth are the limits of possibilities of traveling interstellar space. There are entire galaxies much older than ours. How can we even entertain the thought that our technologies are possibly the same as any other possible race in the entire universe?

The only limits are those that we set up in our minds....

Our gifted minds are capable of so much more, if only we try. Everything started with a wish, a dream. The founding fathers had a dream. And inspired many others to share that dream, as well as inspired generations. So too Martin Luther King. Dreams do come true, only that it takes perseverance to overcome obstacles that our human spirit is ever willing to help, even if our flesh is weak...

Today, we realized there are properties of particles that enables it to bend space and time, to be faster than speed of light. Some claim it was an experimental error. Others deny it. But the fact remains in black and white over a recorded experiment. Neutrinos are faster than speed of light, breaking the record long held by established science.

It calls for further experiments, not outright denounciation of the results. That would not be scientific discipline, only ego and pride that has no place in the progress and evolution of mankind. Science calls for impartiality, even over presumed mistakes, for very often in the course of mankind's evolution, it was mistakes either accidental or intentional that we made progress.

And often when we simply brush away mistakes with ASSUMED higher intelligence or due to time or financial constrains, we simply ignore critical 'follow ups' - a flaw in every aspect of humanity, such as the occurence of 911 when intelligence services had data of possible attempts but ignored.

Regardless if the neutrino experiments were true or errors, let us approach it with scientific impartiality, to leave no stone unturn. If it was an error, then it will lend us more motivation to think how to break the speed of light. If it was no error but a reality, then it opens up a field for the further improvement, progress and evolution of our species currently facing time and space constrains to advance to our destiny - the stars...

before we can do any of that we need find a way to protect ourselves from radiation from large solar flares and impacts from micrometeors and also overcome the ill effects of zero gravity conditions on our bodies, i think the exploration of space is restricted to our robotic friends, for now at least

reply to post by DaveNorris


Go to hyperspace and avoid those problems you mentioned.

reply to post by Larryman


only if you can go from inside the atmosphere of our lil planet to inside the atmosphere of the target planet, if your a bit off with the math it could be a very rough landing lol

A better understanding of what happens to time while approaching light speed (c) would help one to understand how the concept can work, unfortunately mankind has not harnessed the power to travel that fast.

Te other thing about steering is also a moot point, you would see what you are approaching, also some math would come in handy.

reply to post by Illustronic


at the speed of light would you be able to see something before you hit it???

Slightly more then a century ago a very respectable and influential scientist whose name is pretty often used even today in physics lab, declared that "heavier than air flying machines are impossible".
This shows you how life is. Do not despair. You can fly in heavier then air machine , given you have enough mystical eminence called money to afford a ticket.

reply to post by ZeroKnowledge


in space your flying machine can weigh whatever you want it to lol

Originally posted by DaveNorris
reply to post by Larryman

 

only if you can go from inside the atmosphere of our lil planet to inside the atmosphere of the target planet, if your a bit off with the math it could be a very rough landing lol

I don't think I would try for that much accuracy - lol. I would aim for planet orbit, where it would be easy to map the planet first. Astronauts can survive there for months. Then do a reduced-gravity descent to a 'soft' landing. Reduced-gravity is a function of Extended Heim Theory's hyperspace drive.