Since, at the moment, we can't travel even close to fast enough to get anywhere outside our solar system, do you think that in the future we might find a way to accomplish this, to travel to another solar system?
2006-07-21 19:03:12 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Since, at the moment, we can't travel even close to fast enough to get anywhere outside our solar system, do you think that in the future we might find a way to accomplish this, to travel to another solar system? If so, how?
2006-07-21 19:07:12 · update #1
Well we have launched an object outside of the solar system. And that was back in the seventies . . .
Do a google search on Pioneer 10.
So what gives? you might think. Why haven't we gone to other solar systems?
Here's the problem: distance. The nearest star is so far away that it would take like 10,000 years for anything to reach it.
Doh!
So it's not sending something outside the solar system that's the problem, it's traversing the huge distances between stars. We need more speed, much much more than the escape velocity of the solar system.
But it's still possible.
Here's the basics: we need engines that can provide thrust for very long time intervals, as opposed to chemical rockets, which provide great force over short intervals.
I won't go into the math, but basically if you were on a skateboard and you always had a constant push on you, say like a good breeze, but if that force were constant, and was always applied continuously, by the time a month had past you would be going ridiculous speeds - like hundreds of thousands of miles per hour.
So these things are in development on a large scale and have already been used on a smaller scale (nuclear engines and ion rockets). Caltech launched one a while back to study a meteor. I forget just how fast it eventually got going, but I remember that the engine was on for around 2 years, continuously. (although the amount of force applied by the engine was much tinier than the analogy above). Remember chemical rockets generally fire for a matter of minutes.
As you appraoch the speed of light, funny things happen to distance and time. So if you could really get close to the speed of light, then the trip could basically take as short as you wanted it to. However the technology for these types of speeds is not on the horizon. Interestingly, is that although the trip would take a short time for the crew, it would take a long time for the observers, so the crew and observers would become out of sync with respect to time. By the time they got back, basically large amounts of time would have passed on Earth, whereas they would have experienced small amounts of time.
(Pretty much all of the scientific community agrees that all engineering problems related to space travel will be conquered. It's just a matter of time, public interest, and yes money).
2006-07-21 19:37:58 · answer #1 · answered by rainphys 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Look up the NASA program called New Horizons. It is a mission that is sending a camera to take fly-by pictures of pluto. It will not arrive for another 8 years and is the fastest moving object in the solar system. After that it will go on in to the Kuiper Belt which is the edge of our solar system.
2006-07-21 21:25:01 · answer #2 · answered by B!shop 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good vision! It sounds odd right now about space exploration, but depending how old you are, you may witness amazing events as world leaders express more of an interest in technology versus world resource monopoly.
It's the computer age and upcoming micro-circuit generations that will hopefully make the mark and truly help save our planet.
The Star-Ship Enterprise, a science-fiction dream, may become reality...which boldly thrusts a crew around space at warp-drive speeds. The 1930's and 1940's had "Flash Gordon".
We landed astronauts on the moon...from a Rocket.
Yes...to answer your question...to explore.
2006-07-21 19:33:37 · answer #3 · answered by Ted K 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not unless you can travel that billions and billions of miles to the boundary of the solar system. You know that the boundary of the Solar System is onlhy a theory and predicted by scientists, so maybe the boundary is not beyond Pluto or maybe only at a diameter from the sun to earth.
2006-07-22 01:21:25 · answer #4 · answered by Sp()oNg3Y::V.3.[] 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With the present technologies, no we received't go away the picture voltaic equipment interior our lifetime. interior the Oort Cloud, the gap between the debris of ice and rock is amazingly far. Like making use of through a wilderness and seeing a rock each mile or so.
2016-10-15 01:49:46 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe yes, but it could be feasible only if we manage to get over the light speed. if we travel with the light speed, it's confirmed that we could reach other galaxies within round 500 years, so we can't make it because of the life term. if we get over light's speed then we may travel in other galaxies within far less years...but it's very difficult and it has alot of consequences
2006-07-21 20:21:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have the technology within us go father than you can imagine. Its a technology within us all. By paying close attention to our inner self during meditation we can acquire a quantum state of mind that allows us to traverse space - time and go to multiple universes. No space ship needed.
2006-07-21 19:11:15 · answer #7 · answered by markl_farkl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not in the next 20 years
2006-07-21 20:35:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing is impossible.Just think about it.The earth might have had a civilisation in it even before the history we know.May ge they did that and left the earth.Now we rule it.
Just joking.It is possible.But will take time.
2006-07-21 19:06:54 · answer #9 · answered by karthikeyan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some people, yes! but in another 100 years... And the population as whole like an exodus, may be never!
2006-07-21 19:07:45 · answer #10 · answered by OMaha999 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋