4 ms·

Sun have lot of energy, so it can be used as energy source. If you plan to travel at % of c, you will need strong enough radiation and thermal shield anyway. An

by brutt 6y ago

Sun have lot of energy, so it can be used as energy source. If you plan to travel at % of c, you will need strong enough radiation and thermal shield anyway. And if you have such shield, why not just dive into Sun for refueling? Humans can stay at high orbit, when interstellar locomotive refuels.

kzrdude 6y ago
At the speed you are going, the sun will quickly be a pale white dot
- fabiospampinato 6y ago
  Potentially you could bring the sun along with you.
  - misnome 6y ago
    Where does the energy to accelerate the sun at 1g come from?...
    - fabiospampinato 6y ago
      From the sun itself, potentially it might be doable
    - cgriswald 6y ago
      From the sun: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_engine https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_engine
      - misnome 6y ago
        The sun is _really_ _really_ heavy. From that article the best case scenario is a billionth the acceleration you are looking for. And you can’t take a billion stars because then you have more mass... Edit: the interesting part of discussing the 1g is probably less a realistic proposal and more how about how the concept of acceleration quickly runs up against our mental constructs of what acceleration and distance means. I don’t know the source, but it’s probably an enlightening to discuss what it means in the context of relativity.
        kzrdude 6y ago
        Ok, it would be exciting to move the whole solar system to a nicer place in the galaxy. But how many years are we not going to use to evaluate the ethics and technical risks of the experiment? :)
- brutt 6y ago
  Locomotive can harvest energy and matter from Sun and then use it to orbit around Sun, slowly gaining speed, until it will no longer will be able to compensate сentrifugal force. Then it can reach high orbit passively, pickup pilots on high orbit, and be ready to flight, with full tanks. Or it can dump fuel, and do another dive to Sun, for more fuel. If it will survive Sun radiation at low orbit, then it may also survive interstellar travel at high % of C.

by brutt 6y ago

kzrdude 6y ago

At the speed you are going, the sun will quickly be a pale white dot

fabiospampinato 6y ago
Potentially you could bring the sun along with you.
- misnome 6y ago
  Where does the energy to accelerate the sun at 1g come from?...
  - fabiospampinato 6y ago
    From the sun itself, potentially it might be doable
  - cgriswald 6y ago
    From the sun: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_engine https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_engine
    - misnome 6y ago
      The sun is _really_ _really_ heavy. From that article the best case scenario is a billionth the acceleration you are looking for. And you can’t take a billion stars because then you have more mass... Edit: the interesting part of discussing the 1g is probably less a realistic proposal and more how about how the concept of acceleration quickly runs up against our mental constructs of what acceleration and distance means. I don’t know the source, but it’s probably an enlightening to discuss what it means in the context of relativity.
      - kzrdude 6y ago
        Ok, it would be exciting to move the whole solar system to a nicer place in the galaxy. But how many years are we not going to use to evaluate the ethics and technical risks of the experiment? :)
brutt 6y ago
Locomotive can harvest energy and matter from Sun and then use it to orbit around Sun, slowly gaining speed, until it will no longer will be able to compensate сentrifugal force. Then it can reach high orbit passively, pickup pilots on high orbit, and be ready to flight, with full tanks. Or it can dump fuel, and do another dive to Sun, for more fuel. If it will survive Sun radiation at low orbit, then it may also survive interstellar travel at high % of C.