2007-07-02 08:52:33 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
spacecraft going to Mars or the other 10 planets are in our solar systems.
2007-07-02 09:31:34 · update #1
They did; in the 1970's, NASA launched two spaceships that are destined to reach this goal: Voyager 1 and 2. Both of these spaceships passed or are about to pass the Termination zone, where the magnetic power of the sun cancels out with interstellar zone. It will take about 10 more years for them to reach real outer space, and 6000 years to reach the Oort Cloud, the area formed by remnants of the creation of our Solar System.
However, signals from the satellites have ceased or are very, very faint. The nuclear motors of both spaceships still run, although they mostly rely on kinetic energy from their initial blast. Hopefully no asteroids or aliens will take them...
And if you're talking about manned spaceships, we don't have the technology to keep the astronauts alive and well, and to keep the rocket coordinated for such a long flight, etc.
Plus NASA's slow.
2007-07-02 09:12:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
There is no difference between a spaceship and a spaceraft. If it carries people, then you refer to it as a manned spacecraft, that is all. Anyway, yes, there are several spacecraft that are past or will leave our solar system. The Voyager missions and several of the Pioneer missions have already traveled further then pluto and the kuiper belt.
Problems with spacecraft that travel these distances are power, temperature, and distance related. Spacecraft at these distances cannot rely on solar energy and must carry all energy for power (to operate sensors, navigation equp, and heaters) on board. Also, the time required to transfer information to and from the spacecraft is limited and very slow.
2007-07-02 10:00:41 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A spaceship is a ship that caries people and a spacecraft is any remote space faring device. We don't have the technology or the money to make a spaceship that goes beyond our own planet and moon. The next logical choice would be a spaceship that takes people to Mars but right not it's way out of our budget. Unfortunately NASA has lost it's way and it's mind with regards to costs. Space Adventures can send someone to the moon for 100 million but it's going to cost NASA 100 Billion. Why can a privately funded group with no government connections send a group of people to the moon (maybe not landing on it) for 1000 times less? As for space craft, we have two spacecraft that are currently leaving the solar system but have already out lived their life expenctancy. The next place to go is 4 light years away which would take 10 years at our best propulsion speed. Right now there's just no reason to spend the money until we have much better capability of getting around our own solar system.
2007-07-02 09:05:46 · answer #3 · answered by Matthew 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Technically, we have already done this. Voyager 1, launched in 1977, was the first. This spacecraft has entered the heliosheath. Voyager 2 is slightly behind Voyager 1.
New Horizons was launched in 2006 and is expected to arrive at Pluto in 2015 and later to become the fifth spacecraft to leave the Solar System.
Now, if you are talking manned spacecraft, that is a far different story. Such a feat would require methods of keeping humans alive in space for decades. I don't think we currently have such technology.
2007-07-02 09:11:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It has - The Voyager Probes. As of April 4, 2007, Voyager 1 is over 15.18 terameters (15.18×1012 meters, or 15.18×109 km, 101.4 AU, or 9.4 billion miles) from the Sun, and has thus entered the heliosheath, the termination shock region between the solar system and interstellar space, a vast area where the Sun's influence gives way to the other bodies in the galaxy. If Voyager 1 is still functioning when it finally passes the heliopause, scientists will get their first direct measurements of the conditions in the interstellar medium. This basically means that Voyager is about to leave our solar system and enter the space inbetween our system and that of others - interstellar space.
2007-07-02 09:00:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
If there is a need and if resources are not a constraint, it can be done. The technology is available.
One area which needs more attention is how to keep the people engaged in a fruiful way during those long voyages which will take decades and yes, they may not return and even if they do, they would have aged so much that they don't fit into the society that they left behind.
So, it is more a problem of social challenges than technology.
2007-07-02 08:58:30 · answer #6 · answered by Swamy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We have - any of our spacecraft could get out that far if we had enough fuel. It's just that it takes hundreds of years to get outside the solar system, even travelling very fast, and thousdands or millions of years to get to the next star - and that one's not too interesting.
I think the first Voyager probe is near the edge of the solar system now.
2007-07-02 09:08:04 · answer #7 · answered by eri 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In fact, we have.... there are 5, so far - Pioneers 10 & 11, Voyagers 1 & 2, and Pluto Express will be leaving in about 10 years.
2007-07-02 09:23:38 · answer #8 · answered by quantumclaustrophobe 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
because we may never get it back
2007-07-02 08:56:03 · answer #9 · answered by The Ponderer 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Because it is too hard to do.
2007-07-02 09:10:52 · answer #10 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋