3 ms·
Didn't Project Orion determine that it's theoretically feasible to accelerate to not-insignificant fractions of c using NPP? If your journey could average even
by Merad 10y ago
Didn't Project Orion determine that it's theoretically feasible to accelerate to not-insignificant fractions of c using NPP? If your journey could average even 0.05c, you can potentially make it within a human lifespan.
- pc86 10y agoI thought the issues were: - navigation at any non-trivial fraction of *c* (not running into something that would obliterate the vessel) - slowing down and actually arriving where you wanted to and not overshooting it or stopping .5 LY away
- marcosdumay 10y agoAbout slowing down, it's pretty predictable. The idea is even to run the ship in constant acceleration. I don't think you'll want to actually navigate that ship. It's a point and go task. But if needed, you rotate the ship and keep accelerating. But I have no idea on how much you'd be able to fix your route after you discovered it is wrong. I think the main issues are how do we make a ship where people can live for decades? And how do we launch it from the ground?
- dghughes 10y agoI think speed is only one part of it you'd be dead from radiation over such a long period of time unless you were surrounded by lead.