To The List Travel Club:
A 0.008c probe could be built tomorrow (got cash?). It
would take about 2600 years to reach the Gliese 581
system and maneuver through it and we could hope
the instrument packages would have survived.
Here's the real argument against primitive interstellar
probes: the "velocity" of technological advancement is
greater than the speed of primitive probes. In 200 years,
the 2600-year probe would be overtaken by a 800-year
probe. In another century, they would both be passed
by the "next-generation" system of propulsion, and so
forth. And by the time any of these probes could get there,
we might be able to go ourselves in a reasonable time
(by the ship's clocks).
On the other hand, we might be able to make a 100-year
probe by the end of the century. For now, we need to
concentrate on survey and data collection technologies.
For probe technology, I refer you to the 1973-78 study
by the British Interplanetary Society -- Project Daedalus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Daedalus
The project is currently being designed as Project Icarus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Icarus_%28Interstellar_Probe_Design_Study%29
See also the 1987-88 study by NASA and the Air Force,
Project Longshot (good name)"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Longshot
Sterling K. Webb
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Dunklee" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 11:58 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] '100 percent' chance for life on newly
foundplanet?
Gee only 20 light years away. Since it would take an infinite amount
of energy to accelerate a small mass to the speed of light. I guess
the world may never know!
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