Quote:
Originally Posted by fjtorres
Going back to the OP, there *is* an alternative that doesn't get much attention. Not as "sexy" I suppose...
Extrasolar exploration is *NOT* just about FTL.
Or even human travel.
First of all, we're already doing extrasolar exploration; remote viewing is a form of exploration and we have probes headed out of the system.
Second, STL probes are a likely possibility this century. STL travel (hybernation/generation ships/clone growers) remains a possibility for future generations to engineer.
My primary objection remains to the word NEVER.
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Agreed. Never say "never", say "highly unlikely" instead.
http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/rocket3aj.html
As Gordon Woodcock put it, the three methods of travelling to other stars are "go slow", "go fast", and "go tricky." That is,
"Go Slow": travel at low percentages of lightspeed, and somehow deal with the fact that human beings have lifespans of around a hundred years while slow star travel can take thousands of years. There are
several methods.
"Go Fast": travel at
high percentages of lightspeed. Einstein's time dilation will solve the lifespan problem. The trouble now is that such speeds require absurdly high
(dare I say "astronomical?") amounts of energy. They though they had the solution with the infamous "Bussard Ramjet", until the
flaws showed up.
"Go Tricky": travel faster than light. Then the causality problem rises up and bites you on the fundament.