4 ms·
If you build a ship that accelerates at a constant 1g towards the destination until the midway point, then decelerates at a constant 1g, due to time dilation, t
by Asooka 9y ago
If you build a ship that accelerates at a constant 1g towards the destination until the midway point, then decelerates at a constant 1g, due to time dilation, the people on board would experience "only" 12 years passing for a 700LY journey. People on Earth would still need to wait 1400 years for the first communication back, of course, but at least you won't have to build generation ships.
Edit: I got my numbers from http://convertalot.com/relativistic_star_ship_calculator.html http://convertalot.com/relativistic_star_ship_calculator.htm...
- elihu 9y ago...and according to that calculator, at 2gs it would take just over 7 years in the ship's frame of reference; at 3gs, slightly less than 5. If you really want to get things over with quick, 10gs will get you there in well under 2 years. I wonder if that's survivable, if you were under water the whole time with a scuba tank or something?
- tpaschalis 9y agoThe thing is, we aren't currently able to keep a stable acceleration of 1g. The ship's mass will also increase relativistic-ally, as it will reach a maximum speed of ~0.9999961c, so more mass will require more force for the same acceleration.
- bmcooley 9y agoWouldn't the ship's mass only appear to increase to the outside observer?