How to Get to Alpha Centauri

M.E. Thomas invented a method of propelling spaceships using electrons as fuel. And he has solid proof to back up his claim that the supply of electrons in deep space is unlimited. The spaceship[ will have a giant electrode on its' outside that will attract electrons from cosmic dust etc. After they are collected an atomic reactor on board will use an electron accelerator similar to those used for years in nuclear research establishments to accelerate the electrons out the back as rocket exhaust- at relativistic velocities near the speed of light. He estimates a single load of uranium might take the spaceship to the edge of the galaxy and back in a human life time

(ship board frame of reference)

"He estimates a single load of uranium might take the spaceship to the edge of the galaxy and back in a human life time"

Since the nearest edge is something like 15,000 light years, that will not be possible.

Since one lifetime may not be enough, some sci-fi authors have suggested generation ships where the fourth or fifth generation actually arrives, all having been born and lived in the closed ecology of the ship. Of course in all these stories something has gone wrong or it would not be a story. Such a ship would have to be huge, perhaps a hollowed asteroid or a huge metal cylinder, with spin to crate a gravity and the interior made up to be a miniature world for some 20,000 people. [Probes using lightweight nanotech would have to determine the existence and suitability of a planet first.] It takes about 20,000 people to maintain a gene pool and educational and labor specialization to establish a colony which may never have any real contact, other than radio signals, with the rest of the race. Smaller groups may be sent with less of a chance of becoming a truly viable colony. In smaller groups, genes and learning could more easily be lost and they could lose much of their technology while building up their population.

I like the idea of starting it with chemical boosters, whipping around Mercury, then putting out the light sails until the ship is so far away from the sun that they are ineffective, then furling the sails and use a nuclear reactor to accelerate asteroidal [or some other] material for propulsion. Then it would coast. Halfway it would do a 180 and at the right time begin to decelerate, using the sails again when close enough so it could go into orbit. Landing craft would land all the people and equipment, abandoning the generation ship. In due course a shuttle could return to the ship for scientific work.

I'm no rocket scientist but I keep reading about the universe being made up of about 70% 'dark matter'. My hunch is that when we can figure out how to manipulate this matter, we will open up many doors, including long-range space travel.

I used to dream, now I am a little more realistic. Large enough group of people to be sustainable over several generations need lots of things to keep them going. Not only materialistic stuff like food, energy, clothes, entertainment goods but also mental health and social stuff. To keep going you need more than just sustenance, you also need to be happy and well balanced. You need distractions and past times. And don't forget, you cannot go many miles to "be" on vacation or something. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

I am afraid that all this is sci-fi and nothing more at all. Neither will it be more than sci-fi in our or our grand children's life times. Probably for a lot longer than that as well. I believe, and have said this before here on CR4, that we need to exhaust thoroughly all of our possible explorations first. A bit like standing before walking before running and all that jazz. Hell we still miss something the size of Mars and that is on our doorstep! Would you "trust" them back on earth to pull the right lever when it is time for you to stop in time so you don't smack into Alpha Centauri with 1/5th of the speed of light? Neither would I, at least not how things go on mother earth at the moment.

Practise and keep on practising until we get bored of it and nothing but unforeseeable accidents go wrong before we even start to think about doing the long jump. Mars, Venus, Mercury and after all that, and possibly some stations on Mars and our Moon, we can look again at the superior planets and settle there for practise and science. If we cannot do that first, and we cannot, than no point at all to talk about traveling to any other star. It is a bit like teaching higher mathematics to a child who cannot even add up properly, out of our league and therefor futile.

Wow. That's probably the most depressing comment I've ever read on CR4. Humans went from the first plane flight to landing on the Moon in 66 years. Most people I know would rather "go" overseas to visit another country than find out whats in the next city 50 kms away.

The main idea I try to teach my kids is to strive for what ever you want. Don't settle for second best, use second best to get too "the best" then when "the best" isn't good enough, invent better. The future is really in the hands of individuals. We need something to strive for, something just out of reach. That cookie jar on the top shelf. "It must have better cookies in it than the jar on the bench. I'll eat a cookie from the jar on the bench while I get a chair to get to the Jar on the shelf."

Who know's when some scientist will invent a stable wormhole. (It could be you) Bugger flying there just step through this event horizon. That the point. You can't predict the future.

Ever Hopefull.

The most depressing moment is to realise that some people are like you, ignoring reality and ignoring the content and context of my reply.

I don't say we should never strive and go, I say we are still only infants at space travel and we should spent loads more time in our own back yard. USA space budget is only $20B to $400b for the war effort in Iraq etc.(approximated some months ago here on CR4). I don't know the UK or any other European countries figures but probably not much better ratio if any.

I say we need to come up with projects that people can identify themselves with instead of geeky speculations about intergalactic, multi generation and self sufficient space hopping. For these subjects you need to go to Slashdot.com or something. They like discussing unreal and unrealistic things.

You do "easy talking" from your computer desk about what you teach your kids but what are you going to do if that bugger does indeed invent the wormhole tomorrow? You go through straight away without as much as a survival guide, that is MY point. You would not stand a chance and if we don't get practising soon, none of us ever will.