Normally we assume space to be very empty, but at speeds approaching the speed of light I just wonder of physical objects in space might be a showstopper(?)
That’s why we need the Spice so the Navigators can plot a path around all the micrometeors that would tear up the ship.
> but at speeds approaching the speed of light I just wonder of physical objects in space might be a showstopper(?)
I’ve read papers that suggest macroscopic objects traveling at c minus 10e-8 or more will be subjected to significant radiation from space itself. This is from running into spontaneously created virtual particle pairs before there is time for recombination (aka “vacuum energy”). That’s also combined with the energy of every photon and other sub-atomic particle run over along the way. Interestingly dust and such can be swept by a liquid droplet radiator in front of the spacecraft during the acceleration phase. A low-vapor pressure coolant liquid is squirted out like a fountain and falls back into a capture dish for recycling ( or captured with magnetic fields, etc)...when decelerating there’s a flaming plume of exhaust sweeping space close to a million kilometers ahead of you, illuminating and ionizing hazards, so you can see in time to destroy stuff (vaporized by the exhaust or with those nifty coolant drops) or dodge it (a centimeter is as good as a mile).
Alcubierre drive avoids that; you’re not moving, space is. Things that run into you are bypassed in a volume of space the drive warps. The article sounds very hopeful and all, and I am not a physicist, but I think it glosses over some things, e.g. the matter you bypass might get dragged along with you and be instantly converted to energy when you turn off the drive(hazardous to everyone nearby, or it’s emitted along your trajectory, potentially vaporizing your destination). Also the energy requirement is higher than a sublight journey at constant acceleration would require...thus we’re back to converting moons to energy...only safe at interstellar distances...