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To: Ronin
Does this mean humans will never get star travel?

Not with any kind of reaction engine anyway. What we have now propels the craft forward by expelling reaction mass backward (equal and opposite). To exceed the speed of light you would need to expel mass at greater than the speed of light. I'm no rocket scientist, but I don't see how we can do that.

Guess we'll have to cheat in some sci-fi fashion, like harnessing wormholes or folding space...

30 posted on 06/08/2012 10:48:20 PM PDT by ZOOKER ( Exploring the fine line between cynicism and outright depression)
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To: ZOOKER
I'm no rocket scientist, but I don't see how we can do that.

Use particles that have a negative mass.

37 posted on 06/08/2012 11:02:39 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lame and ill-informed post)
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To: ZOOKER
Even if you could propel the craft at > C using a reaction based system, the craft wouldn't survive the acceleration.

"Squish just like grape."

101 posted on 06/12/2012 12:31:12 PM PDT by PT57A
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