4 ms·
You know what else is an obstacle to relativistic spaceflight? Being able to do relativistic space flight. Fun fact: people realized this a long time ago, and
by celerity 14y ago
You know what else is an obstacle to relativistic spaceflight? Being able to do relativistic space flight.
Fun fact: people realized this a long time ago, and proposed different "shields" in front of the ship (it turns out that the most effective shape is a smoothed-out cone [of ice, say] -- see Asimov's Song of a Distant Earth).
- lucian1900 14y agoAlastair Reynolds describes ice shields in a lot of detail.
- andrewingram 14y agoIn Pushing Ice if I recall correctly. Fantastic novel, also discusses the threat of the EM spectrum being blue-shifted to harmful wavelengths.
- Sharlin 14y agoAlso with the "lighthuggers" in the Revelation Space universe.
- Sharlin 14y agoNitpick: The Songs of a Distant Earth is actually by Arthur C. Clarke.
- celerity 14y agoThank you! I always mix them up.
- squires 14y agoThis also reminded me of the "Archangel" class ships described in Endymion by Dan Simmons. FTL travel on these ships instantly kills all passengers but then conveniently resurrects them once they reach the destination.