U.S. military to help launch interstellar space travel

Smartplanet ^ | 08/23/11 | Tuan C. Nguyen

[KevinDavis]

Alpha Centuari Ho!!

Well I do have some ideas.. Like a Stargate, being friends with the Asgard, steal ancient technology.. I also like the Slipstream technology in Andromeda, but maybe I getting ahead of myself.

[KevinDavis]

[oldasrocks]

I can think of a few people to send up.

[Errant]

Forget sending people to Mars

Darn! And I had that mission already planned out!

[cripplecreek]

Actually I trust the military more with this sort of thing.

[RandallFlagg]

Same here.

[Oberon]

...just what it would take to transport humans to stars orbiting beyond our galaxy

Whoa... intergalactic space is quite a leap. I think we ought to start with exploring other solar systems within our own galaxy first.

And I think some journalist needs a basic course in astronomy.

[GonzoGOP]

$500,000 grant to an ambitious organization to figure out just what it would take to transport humans to stars orbiting beyond our galaxy

Outside our galaxy!? The nearest stars outside our Galaxy are in the Andromeda Galaxy 2.5 million light-years from Earth. We can't even get a good look at the stars that far away, much less tell which ones have planets.

But if you absolutely insist on going I have a solution. All it takes is a little velocity, that we can do now, and a lot of time. Like mind blowingly large amounts of time. But if you have a few billion years to waste it is possible.

[muir_redwoods]

Is this about interstellar or extra galactic travel? Or is it just sloppy reporting?

[marktwain]

DARPA has a strong record of real returns. The Internet and GPS are projects that it started and funded research on.

[TheOldLady]

Yes, if we’re going intergalactic or interstellar, we better have some of that alien technology goin’ on there, Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, whatever. Cuz we ain’t gettin’ there with the remnants of the Space Shuttle program.

[Errant]

This "smells" like something Obama or one of his liberal cronies thought up...

Look for George Lucus & etc to be drafted into the project.

[cripplecreek]

Got me a little place all picked out.

[GonzoGOP]

Yes, if we’re going intergalactic or interstellar, we better have some of that alien technology going

Well an Orion drive could get you to the nearest stars in a reasonable time, say 50-60 years. And that is using 1950's technology. Intergalactic, no way. We are talking millions of light-years so even if you could push your speed up close to C it would still take millions of years. And the C isn't just a good idea, its the law.

[KevinDavis]

We are talking interstellar travel.. None of this sissy travel within the solar system..

[KevinDavis]

We are talking interstellar travel.. None of this sissy travel within the solar system..

[cripplecreek]

It appears that the neighbors have been evicted.

[Errant]

And the C isn't just a good idea, its the law.

Only if you're a resident - certain laws don't seem to appy to illegal aliens... :)

[occamrzr06]

It’s the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. I’ve outrun Imperial starships. Not the local bulk cruisers mind you, I’m talking about the big Corellian ships now. She’s fast enough for you old man. What’s the cargo?