From: spike66 (spike66@attbi.com)
Date: Mon Jun 10 2002 - 23:04:50 MDT
Hal Finney wrote:
>Spike writes:
>
>>I could even imagine an advanced life form crossing interstellar
>>space near the galactic core only and deciding the stellar
>>burbs out here are just too sparse to make it worth the effort.
>>
>
>That's possible. OTOH the intergalactic spaces have less dust and gas
>so there would be fewer problems in travelling close to light speed.
>
I currently suppose that the universe contains no really great
shortcuts to space travel: no warp drives yet to be discovered,
no wormhole manipulations, no magic physics. We haven't
exactly mastered physics, but I image that we have at least
conceived of most of the stuff we are likely to master before
interstellar flight starts up in earnest.
That being said, we currently *almost have* all the tech
needed to cross interstellar distances, provided we are
willing to put up with appalling discomforts. What I have
in mind is a multigeneration ship, perhaps the size of a
moderate apartment building with perhaps 20-30 people
living at a time, traveling for a few hundred years. The
energy storage would come from a few tons of plutonium,
good old fashioned low tech nuclear fission.
The biggest challenge of all is carrying the wherewithal
to brake into orbit on the other end. Had humanity the
will, I think we actually could make this happen with
present day technology, altho it would not be fun.
(Actually it might be: nothing to do but entertain
each other with endless variations on the theme of
copulation.) Furthermore, if there are no metallic
planets on the other end, the mission is as doomed
as the boats that set out into the Pacific centuries ago,
never to see land again.
If we keep it below about .01c, I dont think that the
interstellar dust and gas would be such a difficult
problem. If we go much above .01c, the acceleration
and deceleration become formidable challenges.
If we can't go way above .01c, we can forget
all notions of intergalactic travel. It may be that
galaxies really are isolated units, and it may be
that humanity really is the first fully sentient beings
to evolve in the Milky Way.
In which case, all of it is ours. And we should
be getting out there and claiming our property.
Friends, what part of boundless expansion do
we not grok? Lets get some of that mindless
male ego thing going and get with the program!
>
>And presumably there are a few intergalactic stars scattered about
>which could serve as oases and refueling depots if that were necessary.
>
The problem with that scenario is that we would need
to stop in order to refuel, then get going again.
>Maybe part of the issue is, why is the civilization expanding? IMO we
>have to look beyond traditional reasons like population pressure...
>
We need no further reason beyond the fact that life expands.
We are alive. Lets get expanding.
spike
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