Space travel is becoming exciting again!

[ThomasDenton 79]

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/06/orbital-to-iss/

 

With big companies like Orbital Sciences, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and newcomers SpaceX and Blue Origin taking over NASA's duties of transport to space, space travel doesn't look like it's dead in America. I can only imagine what these companies will do in the near future with space travel (assuming our economy doesn't tank again).

[Deleted Account 5,203]

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/06/orbital-to-iss/

 

With big companies like Orbital Sciences, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and newcomers SpaceX and Blue Origin taking over NASA's duties of transport to space, space travel doesn't look like it's dead in America. I can only imagine what these companies will do in the near future with space travel (assuming our economy doesn't tank again).

 

I don't even call that "space travel", honestly. More like "space 'stick your head out the door and look'". Any legitimate "travel" takes too long for the human body to endure. But...I am glad to see the private sector fulfill this tiny niche.

[ThomasDenton 79]

I don't even call that "space travel", honestly. More like "space 'stick your head out the door and look'". Any legitimate "travel" takes too long for the human body to endure. But...I am glad to see the private sector fulfill this tiny niche.

 

This may lead to real space travel though.

[Lance 228]

if they can ever figure out how to honestly manipulate gravity, or produce it...then you open up the doors to actual space travel. Until then it's something to work towards.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

This may lead to real space travel though.

 

Unless we can ever get a spaceship to go anything above 26,000 miles per hour, there's not even a remote chance that we'll ever get past Mars. And, as I said earlier, with the human body not having the capacity to survive the 2-year flight, even that's a tricky proposition. It's physics and anatomy. We don't have the bodies for it. We don't have enough energy on Earth to make it viable.

 

if they can ever figure out how to honestly manipulate gravity, or produce it...then you open up the doors to actual space travel. Until then it's something to work towards.

 

To manipulate gravity to a level you're talking about, we need at least 100x more energy than is found in the entire solar system. Newtonian physics doesn't begin to even break down until you get close to the speed of light.

Edited June 11, 2012 by UVAObserver

[redtiger 1,747]

at this point I dont see how we will be able to travel in space but it seems as though anything man sets his mind to he achieves. So I feel that someday legit space travel will become reality. Baby steps for now though

[Deleted Account 5,203]

at this point I dont see how we will be able to travel in space but it seems as though anything man sets his mind to he achieves. So I feel that someday legit space travel will become reality. Baby steps for now though

 

If...big if...we find enough energy to make it possible, we still have the anatomy problem. Our bodies need gravity, lest our bones become useless in a period of about 2 years. Gilese 581©, the nearest "maybe-habitable" planet, is 20.3 light years away.

 

You might then say we could artificially create gravity. Well, to do that, you need mass. To hurtle that mass, you need even MORE energy added to the energy that would make you go at nearly the speed of light in the first place.

 

You may ask: why not use the mass that's providing energy to the ship to create gravity? If you used that mass, the sheer gravity from it alone would crush humans...because there's not enough of it on Earth to make a ship go that fast. You would have to have separate compartments. MAYBE one could regulate the energy already in place between 2 compartments...but good luck designing a system that won't collapse pulling down from the gravity inside it.

[ThomasDenton 79]

If...big if...we find enough energy to make it possible, we still have the anatomy problem. Our bodies need gravity, lest our bones become useless in a period of about 2 years. Gilese 581©, the nearest "maybe-habitable" planet, is 20.3 light years away.

 

You might then say we could artificially create gravity. Well, to do that, you need mass. To hurtle that mass, you need even MORE energy added to the energy that would make you go at nearly the speed of light in the first place.

 

You may ask: why not use the mass that's providing energy to the ship to create gravity? If you used that mass, the sheer gravity from it alone would crush humans...because there's not enough of it on Earth to make a ship go that fast. You would have to have separate compartments. MAYBE one could regulate the energy already in place between 2 compartments...but good luck designing a system that won't collapse pulling down from the gravity inside it.

 

It only takes about 8 months to get to Mars, not 2 years. Also, there was a plan a while back that someone proposed where we would send volunteers to Mars (when we get all the necessary capabilities) who would basically set up a "camp" (or the starting of a colony) and live there for the rest of their lives while supplies are sent to them (and maybe later, more people) much like how the unmanned space craft from SpaceX took supplies to the ISS. I don't think a trip to Mars is too far out of reach (could definitely be done in our lifetimes) but money is always the main problem.

[Lance 228]

 

 

To manipulate gravity to a level you're talking about, we need at least 100x more energy than is found in the entire solar system. Newtonian physics doesn't begin to even break down until you get close to the speed of light.

 

 

yeah...just saying, if they could ever figure out a way around that...then you might have some legit chance at travel, but without that happening then it's not going to happen.

[redtiger 1,747]

There are alot of hurdles to be crossed( and I dont know if they can be crossed) but remember, crossing an ocean was once impossible too

As was even making it into space, let alone the moon.

[Lance 228]

you know it amazes me we went from basically a flying bicycle to the moon in about 50 years span...then things kinda leveled off...sure we have deep space probes, shuttles, the mars rovers, and the space station....but there was a really steep curve from the beginning to the moon.

[redtiger 1,747]

it is amazing the developments and discoveries that took place in that narrow window.

 

In all of mans earlier accompolishments there were stepping stones and no giant leap was needed, not alot of stepping stones in space.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

There are alot of hurdles to be crossed( and I dont know if they can be crossed) but remember, crossing an ocean was once impossible too

As was even making it into space, let alone the moon.

 

Crossing the ocean was allowable by the laws of physics. So was getting to the moon, a mere quarter of a million miles away. Inter-stellar travel isn't. It's simply not that simple. By the time our solar system merges with any other, the only means by which we'd be close enough to another planet not named Mars, the dying sun will have already barbecued us.

[redtiger 1,747]

true, this is a MUCH bigger challenge and will take some incredible leaps in science/technology. Im not gonna say travel into deep space is or isint ever gonna be possible, but I just feel that one day it may be possible(not in our lifetimes)