At about four light-years from the sun, Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to the solar system. While that may seem relatively close, it would still take humanity thousands of years to reach, based on current propulsion technology.
In fact, it took Voyager 1, which was launched in 1977, 37 years to reach the outskirts of the solar system. That spacecraft flew at 17 km/sec, less than 0.006% the speed of light.
“We have to radically rethink our strategy or give up our dreams of reaching the stars in a way romanticized in books and movies,” wrote Philip Lubin, of Univ. of California, Santa Barbara’s Physics Dept.
In his paper, “A Roadmap to Interstellar Flight,” and in a video from NASA 360, Lubin states that photonic propulsion, or the propulsion of objects through light particles, could help humanity achieve quick interstellar travel, turning science fiction into science fact.
Currently, NASA estimates that it would take humans roughly six months to travel to Mars. According to Lubin, his theoretical technology could propel a 100 kg robotic craft to Mars in a few days, and a shuttle-sized craft in about one month. The former robotic craft would travel around 1,200 km/sec.
Learn more: Laser Propulsion Could Help Humanity Reach the Stars
The Latest on: Interstellar travel
[google_news title=”” keyword=”interstellar travel” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Interstellar travel
- Warp drives for interstellar travel could become reality, study suggestson May 11, 2024 at 11:03 pm
A warp drive is a propulsion system concept often depicted in science fiction as a means of achieving faster-than-light travel. A space warp describes a hypothetical scenario where such a spacecraft ...
- New Warp Drive Model: Propelling Future Interstellar Missions Within Realms of Known Physicson May 11, 2024 at 7:15 pm
Moving at warp speed is no longer just a dazzling concept from science fiction, as researchers at the University of Alabama, Huntsville have proposed a new model for a warp drive that aligns with the ...
- The Warp Age Beckons: Scientists Forge Ahead with Faster-Than-Light Driveon May 9, 2024 at 11:53 pm
Applied Physics, an international cadre of scientists and engineers, took a significant leap by introducing an online toolkit for “analyzing warp drive spacetimes” dubbed the “Warp Factory.” Supported ...
- What happens inside a black hole: NASA's video simulationon May 9, 2024 at 9:47 am
What would we see if we had the chance to travel inside a black hole? A question covered in major Hollywood films (one above all Interstellar) and which has always fueled the debate among scientists.
- 'God's Hand' interstellar cloud reaches for the stars in new Dark Energy Camera image (video)on May 7, 2024 at 9:59 am
Engaging articles, breathtaking images and expert knowledge ...
- Meet HELIX, the High-Altitude Balloon That May Solve a Deep Cosmic Mysteryon May 7, 2024 at 5:00 am
Every now and then, tiny particles of antimatter strike Earth from cosmic parts unknown. A new balloon-borne experiment launching this spring may at last find their source ...
- Nasa engineers bring Voyager 1 back to life after interstellar glitchon April 27, 2024 at 5:00 am
After a sudden loss of contact in November, mission controllers were able to reestablish contact with the probe across 15bn miles of space ...
- NASA re-establishes communication with Voyager 1 interstellar spacecraft that went silent for monthson April 24, 2024 at 6:50 pm
NASA re-established communication with Voyager 1, an interstellar spacecraft that nearly five months ago began sending unreadable data back to the space agency.
- Billionaire Kam Ghaffarian sets his sights on the stars with a range of space companieson April 17, 2024 at 5:00 pm
So, on the space side, if we say that the ultimate destiny for humanity is interstellar travel, and going to the stars, then we need to take a lot of intermediary steps to do that." It might sound ...
- Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’ Sets Imax 70mm Re-Release for 10th Anniversary This Fallon April 11, 2024 at 11:50 am
Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” will be re-released ... set in a dystopian future in which a group of astronauts must travel to the far reaches of space to find a new planet for humankind ...
via Bing News