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We have no idea how to build a ship of any size that would achieve even a significant percentage of light speed* much less faster than light, so it would have to be multi-generational. And to get well out of the solar system it would have to leave a lot sooner than 75 years so it would also have to be so small that it would hardly be worth bothering.
But assuming for the sake of argument we had the technology and a decent chance of success ... I would support it if at least 1000 people were willing to go ... and they would be. In fact I think the governments of the world would practically dismantle themselves to build ship after ship. Self preservation is a strong instinct.
* Well photonic propulsion is already being developed on about a 20 year time frame to push small objects to 20 to 40% of light speed but there's no practical way to slow them down at the other end of the journey. The tech is too immature for a crash project. It is being developed for exploration of nearby star systems with miniaturized robotic probes. A child born today will probably know how many planets orbit Proxima Centauri and have high res pictures of them, by the time it is 50 years old.
Evidently we're actually a lot further along than I thought. That's interesting.
I was thinking that our technological research would be sped up dramatically with a focus and the world's resources from multiple governments working together...but everything I've been hearing is that we're centuries away from sending people to other solar systems, so there's only so far we can get in 75 years.
Evidently we're actually a lot further along than I thought. That's interesting.
I was thinking that our technological research would be sped up dramatically with a focus and the world's resources from multiple governments working together...but everything I've been hearing is that we're centuries away from sending people to other solar systems, so there's only so far we can get in 75 years.
It has gotten as far as theoretical proof of concept with NASA-funded research, there are no major technological hurdles. A wealthy tycoon has kick-started the project and Stephen Hawking and Mark Zuckerberg are on board, so it has some fairly heavy hitters.
The main fundamental obstacle is dealing with collisions at those velocities ... which for microprobes (nothing bigger than an iPhone, most are smaller), it is just a matter of launching a swarm of hundreds or thousands so that a significant percentage will make it all the way. Having a small probe transmit data back from that far away is an interesting but not impossible challenge. From there it's a matter of $$ and will to build and launch the large, powerful laser needed to propel the probes.
The technology can be used at lower power to give a boost to conventional spacecraft within the solar system, trimming transit times significantly. It could also, I imagine, be used to redirect asteroids.
There is also an "electromagnetic drive" that's more on the fringes, partly because no one can figure out how it works without defying the laws of physics. Just recently a paper was published explaining it; it does emit thrust but at two complementary, canceling wavelengths so that you can't detect it. Essentially it uses microwaves to propel something. It may not scale to much more power than current ion drives such as power the probe that's currently orbiting Ceres -- but it could probably thrust pretty much indefinitely without any fuel payload.
So yes, we are further along than you'd think. In another century we might well have the ability to propel large spacecraft (large enough at least to carry a few humans) to near light speed, which means time dilation effects would allow humans to visit anywhere in the galaxy, or really, the universe, in theory. One could travel out 100 light years and back in a little over 200 years with perfect artificial gravity from a constant 1G acceleration; the catch is that the crew will only have aged a couple of years and everyone they left behind will be long since dead and there may not even be a civilization to return to if it's managed to wipe itself out somehow. Or it may not be a civilization you'd WANT to return to because it has evolved into something alien in and of itself. Imagine someone who left earth in 1816 returning to 2016. It would make their head explode. And the rate of change in the next 200 years would be even greater.
This is the only reason I'd want biological immortality; I'd like to see what humans manage to achieve in this and other regards over the next couple of centuries. It's my blasted curiosity that would make me swallow the magic immortality pill.
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If by support the idea - you mean dedicate more of my pay in tax dollars to something that a person on my socio-economic level would probably never benefit from, no - I'm truly not interested. I don't personally view the human animal to have advanced very much over the eons. The technology has advanced by leaps and bounds. The human remains pretty much the same basic creature it has always been.
I think humanity is worth saving, but if its possible, if we are so technologically advanced, why cant that energy and those resources be focused on saving Earth, and keeping it habitable instead?
Chances are any such advancement in space travel would only be used to conquer any life forms found out there, and to exploit resources, as has been done since the dawn of man on this planet.
I'm not personally vain enough to think humans are the only advanced lifeforms to ever be formed somewhere - not that I believe in or have personally witnessed any aliens or UFOs.
Wouldn't it be self-defeating to do it, and then find a situation where human is on the menu? Maybe even leave space tracks that can be followed to farm humanity at its source.
I have no fear of either doing it, or something terrible coming from outer space. I am on the downward slope of life, and will leave no descendants behind to suffer from it, so aside from finding new reasons to further bleed my paycheck, I really don't care what the wealthy do as far as space travel is concerned.
Question: Would you support the construction of a ship to carry humanity to another solar system to save humanity from extinction?
Not in a million years would I even entertain such a thought.
The destructive and parasitic relationship humans have with this planet should be your insight.
This planet as well as many other animal species would exist in greater harmony without humans.
No need to spread The Human Condition found on Earth to another Solar System.
I don't see that. I see humans eating animals, and nonhumans eating animals. I guarantee the typical slaughter of a cow is less unpleasant than some other herbivore being eaten by army ants. I don't see us as too much more destructive than any other animal. What I do suspect is that if we'd go to space, we'd probably become a peaceful vegetarian people who despise waste of any kind, who are very friendly...because otherwise they'll not be able to stand each other on the decades or more long trip in the space ship.
I don't see that. I see humans eating animals, and nonhumans eating animals. I guarantee the typical slaughter of a cow is less unpleasant than some other herbivore being eaten by army ants. I don't see us as too much more destructive than any other animal. What I do suspect is that if we'd go to space, we'd probably become a peaceful vegetarian people who despise waste of any kind, who are very friendly...because otherwise they'll not be able to stand each other on the decades or more long trip in the space ship.
Then this tells me that you are not aware of what is going on in the world.
If you think I am merely describing humans eating animals then you completely missed the point.
Let me give you hints: Human overpopulation, Deforestation, Human Consumption, Human Waste, Human causes of Global Warming, Pollution. That should get you started.
I thought that this would be clear, but obviously not. Us humans are destroying the planet, even the people who don't mean to. The average person will throw away thousands of tons of waste in their life. They will buy products that have been made by harming the environment. Greed and desire has made man destroy the environment and kill animals. We will first make many species extinct. This will have a rippling effect on the food chain. We will over populate and run out of resources. We are screwing up the world and it's devastating to see.
Humans are greedy, we have wiped out 50% of natural habitats over 40 years, the impact on animals and environment is huge. We are over populating the planet and the more people the more farmed animals we torture and the amount of waste we generate.
If you don't think what you are about to watch in this video is sick and twisted...thanks to humans...then you really don't know what is going on in this world.
Every other species that lives on this planet does so in equilibrium with planet earth, humans are the only creatures on the earth that take over and destroy natural habitats all over the planet, its mans inquisitive mind that has led to over pollution of this planet destruction of rain forests, this is all counter intuitive to the survival of the planet and every living creature on it, the only difference is a virus has no choice, its the way its programmed, but we as humans do have a choice and we should start choosing to respect this planet or we will soon be extinct.
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