If you could go, would you?

[Shade_Wilder]

 

Eagle-eyed members will note that I have an interest in Space and Space Travel (He's an Eleventh-Level Geek. Ed.). One of the most interesting questions is as we think about travelling in space, how will we do it, as a practical matter? Space is... er... ahem... big; for example, out best current estimate for humans to travel to Mars is seven months, each way, and that assumes a perfect trip. Travel to Jupiter's moons would take about three years, one way. If we are thinking of going to another star system, and we are, it'd be decades.

There are three basic models (a vast oversimplification) on how we humans might approach long space flight as boarding a space ship and sitting in an economy-class chair ain't reasonable.

Faster than Light Travel (FTL). This will be the proverbial 'Holy Grail' of space travel and space exploration, but is beyond our means to date. Some say that FTL is impossible, but I simply don't accept that; I don't have any scientific basis for the belief, but rely on the vast amount of knowledge that we don't know yet. Looking around at the Science Fiction Genre, we see 'Warp Speed', we see "travelling on Cosmic Strings', we see 'Wormhole' travel, we see 'Subspace Jumps' and many other speculative means of propulsion. Are any of these viable? I haven't a clue, but as a matter of faith I think humans will either figure something out or aliens will arrive and share the tech, er... if they don't use us as a food source. 

Until that discovery or visit occurs...

There are two methods of space travel currently viable(-ish), at least in theory (another oversimplification).

If we want to 'Reach for the Stars', but don't have FTL yet, the only real solution would be generation ships; these are ships which essentially contain their own self-sustaining ecosystems which will allow humans to travel for decades and allow for the descendants to arrive. What would such a ship look like?

Universe today has an excellent article on the concept.

https://www.universetoday.com/144894/what-is-a-generation-ship/

If we are talking about intra-system travel and still don't have FTL, then some kind of hibernation and/or induced torpor might be the solution, a la Science fiction novels and movies, but we still need to sort a few things out first.

The European Space Agency has been thinking of this, and the link below offers some interesting thoughts. And, the Smithsonian magazine also offers an interesting perspective.

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Hibernate_for_a_trip_to_Mars_the_bear_way

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/hibernation-for-space-voyages-180962394/

Or, it may be a combination of both methodologies.

Ultimately, if one wants to go into space currently or in the near future, it means giving up a portion of your existence. That said, it'd be one hell of an adventure.

So, if you could go, would you?

My answer is a resounding 'Yes'. 'Yes' to either a torpor-induced hibernation and 'Yes' to a generational ship. Why? I, like I am certain everyone reading this, have lain on my back and looked up to the stars and wondered "what the hell is out there?". I'd love to get some more answers to that question before my time is used up.

Would you go? 

 

[BigHewer]

On 5/28/2023 at 8:40 AM, Shade_Wilder said:

I, like I am certain everyone reading this, have lain on my back and looked up to the stars and wondered "what the hell is out there?". I'd love to get some more answers to that question before my time is used up.

Would you go? 

Somewhere in the distant future, a group of unknown people will be gathered around a digital image rendering device (DIRD*). A grainy image will appear of a mustachioed man wearing a red hat and a kid will ask,

“Who’s this?” 

The reply might be…

”Ah that’s your last earthling ancestor. He never made it here.”

I don’t think I’d go. But it doesn’t mean I don’t look up at the the stars and wonder what’s out there. 

(*No such thing as a DIRD, I made that up)

[KaptainRob]

On 5/28/2023 at 6:40 AM, Shade_Wilder said:

So, if you could go, would you?

No, too old for that kind of trip. 

But I did sail the oceans while in my 40's and 50's, often single handed, and enjoyed laying on deck at night under sail just observing the incredible night sky. 

[Marble-eye]

On 5/28/2023 at 6:40 AM, Shade_Wilder said:

Would you go? 

No not for me I'm afraid, although Tripadvisor gave it a 5 star rating.

[Shade_Wilder]

Gentlemen, Gentlemen

I have to say that I am a wee bit disappointed in you; where's your sense of adventure? I know that you had one or you would not have ended up where you are now.

Star Trek has been correct about so many things. What if they are correct about these Orions?

Would you really want to miss out?

PS Why yes, I am overloaded with work and putting it off. How did you know?

 

[Faraday]

Yep, I'd go to the Moon & find out if the US really did go there.

 

Can't be doing with any long spaceflight. Last time I went to the UK, travel time was 27 hours, door to door.

Nearly finished me off.

At the moment however, there is someone who I would gladly send to the GN-z11 Galaxy.

 

It's 32 billion light years away. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GN-z11

[Rookiescot]

On any of these types of ship is there a pub?

If there is I suppose I could go if I had nothing else on that week. Would need someone to feed the cat though.

[Rookiescot]

8 minutes ago, Faraday said:

Yep, I'd go to the Moon & find out if the US really did go there.

Can't be doing with any long spaceflight. Last time I went to the UK, travel time was 27 hours, door to door.

Nearly finished me off.

At the moment however, there is someone who I would gladly send to the GN-z11 Galaxy.

It's 32 billion light years away. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GN-z11

Oh come on. BigH does not deserve to be sent there. His quizzes aint that bad. 

[Vigo]

On 5/31/2023 at 12:07 AM, Shade_Wilder said:

Gentlemen, Gentlemen

I have to say that I am a wee bit disappointed in you; where's your sense of adventure? I know that you had one or you would not have ended up where you are now.

Star Trek has been correct about so many things. What if they are correct about these Orions?

Would you really want to miss out?

PS Why yes, I am overloaded with work and putting it off. How did you know?

Pfft, slave girls, I think not. They are most likely shift workers from the Jolly Green Giant production line.

And as for space travel, faster than light travel would probably have a negative physiological impact. We'd be shriveled raisin people by the end of the voyage. And no I don't want to end my life living in outer space. I quite like the beaches of Hua Hin, the smells of the Boreal forest and fresh air of the far North American north.