Space travel going too far?

[Dash]

The numerous ideas of space travel that the likes of Virgin Galactic and Bigelow are enforcing through the media I find quite scary when I think about it. Especially when we get to the extent that they have already planned, designed and prototyped the currency in space: Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Consider this in the context that Bigelow have done the same thing in designing an "inflatable" space hotel, and Virgin Galactic's "The Spaceship Company" - well... the name sort of says it all, but Branson has a team that have come up with a 2 designs for a spaceplane, suitable for taking tourists to the moon and back.

To me, it all seems like one of those silly ideas you come up with as a kid - "it's gonna do this, and have one of those, and you can do that".

But really, what the heck is wrong with Earth? I bloody like it here, why would I wanna go up there? Other than for sheer banter, a bloody good sun tan, and re-living the best bits of Futurama! Other than that, let's face it. The only good thing about being up there compared to being down here is you're never gonna have a crap phone reception.

I'm not saying I don't like the idea, but it seems to be happening really fast. I guess that's just technology though. But am I the only one who thinks that in 50 years time, my grand children (making the assumption that I will have grand children) will come out with something along the lines of "I'm bored... might grab the next shuttle to the moon" O_0

 

[Charlie]

The quid? They can't call space currency that! That's our currency!

Well I'll just quote Karl Pilkington on the space thing, this is after he was asked if he'd ever consider going on that Virgin Galactic thing:
"Go to space? I haven't even been to Scotland yet! Check out your own back yard before you go peeking in someone elses."

 

[Pojo]

I say it's good that we are expanding...I doubt we will find anywhere to live that wouldn't take years to travel to anytime soon...I don't even know if we will live on Mars someday...But if they can manage to make spacehotels and such, then I'm all for it...Whether I would go to one...That's another story

 

[Mink]

Welcome to the transition of a class 0 to a class 1 society.

This is what happens, we start to be less and less dependant on the Earth and move upwards, then we move to a class 2 society which we become depended on the solar system(sun, asteroids, etc) for our resources, then we move to class 3 which we then begin to rely on the galaxy(star wars, anyone?) and teraforming other planets with robots to kick-off class 0 societies into class 1(see; 2001: A space odyssey).

In essence, what you're experiencing is all part of the cycle, only thing is that we have a HIGH chance of not surviving the transition to class 1, due to the opposition of NAFTA and such, and the threat of nuclear war.

 

[Target]

they do this only for one thing: money.

you know, going in the space is a dream for many people, is something suggestive.
I would like to travel in the space too.

But before space tourism, scientist must study a lot of things to reduce risks on human body; for example going in the space, often reduce your height.

I approve it if is something linked to a scientific experiment, like living in the space for 1 years.

And do you know what will happens when (and if) people will colonize, for example, the moon? Wars and wars for territory.

Do we really need other wars?

 

[Mink]

they do this only for one thing: money.

you know, going in the space is a dream for many people, is something suggestive.
I would like to travel in the space too.

But before space tourism, scientist must study a lot of things to reduce risks on human body; for example going in the space, often reduce your height.

I approve it if is something linked to a scientific experiment, like living in the space for 1 years.

And do you know what will happens when (and if) people will colonize, for example, the moon? Wars and wars for territory.

Do we really need other wars?

Referring to my other post, if we make it to the moon and colonize local planets, land war in theory will virtually be gone, thus why it's hard to go from a stage 0 to stage 1.

 

[ShippoFox]

It's one of my dreams to travel the stars. Key word being dream. Never gonna happen. Even if it were possible, then the journey would probably be too scary for me. :frown:

 

[dogboy]

I think the people who present these ideas as near fact or simply posturing and grandstanding. We are a long ways from having the technology to take us there, plus we are living in a political atmosphere that makes it impossible, because of the global cooperation that would be needed.

That being said, it's hard to believe that a mere 6000 years ago man was battling giant cave bears, woolly mammoths, and giant sloths. Give us another 6000 years and who knows where we will be. The reason given for colonizing space is because in 6000 years or less, we will have completely depleted our resources, and poisoned the planet. We have a long way to go, both in future technology, but also in what we are doing on a day to day basis, being good stewards of the planet.

 

[EmeraldsAndLime]

I don't think there'll even be a point where we go too far in space travel. Our technology may level out, but I'll be all for extending it as far as possible.

 

[Zeek61]

The thing is guys, it might be all well and good to say that space travel would be really good (and i'm not saying that it isn't, i like the idea too) and it might be possible to travel in space to other planets but the reality of it is that it isn't possible AT ALL (not even in the future).

The only way that u could travel to other planets is if u travelled at the speed of light (the fastest that anything can travel). This in itself presents the first problem as when u travel at the speed of light, it might take 1 hour for u to reach ure destination, but for the rest of the universe, that will be equivilent to a couple of thousands of years. And this is the element that the star wars movies leave out (and yes, i know, it is just a movie).

Whenever a person travels into space, (including the astronauts) they are actually travelling through time. whenever they go into space, they come back pretty much similar to how they originally were when they left, but everyone else ages. One of these factors is due to gravity. It causes us to age. The other eason is that because they are in space, their bodies don't oxidise as easily (this is why ure body gets worse as u get older, ure body oxidises a lot quicker).

As the distances between planets is soo great, the only way that u would be able to get there is if u somehow managed to travel faster than the speed of light and that would cause ure body's molecules to just rip themselves apart.

So really, as much as the idea would be really cool (and i really love the thought of space travel) it isn't possible. not now, not in the future, not ever.

If u guys are wonder how i know so much about this, it is cause i have done a lot of research into this. I am absolutely fanasinated with space. Also, some of this is contained in Einstiens theory of relativity (at a very basic level as it is extremely difficult to understand it, and i don't really full understand the simplistic version of it)

But i must admit, the sound of travelling to another planet, sounds really good to me. But like it has been said in here before:

it's hard to believe that a mere 6000 years ago man was battling giant cave bears, woolly mammoths, and giant sloths. Give us another 6000 years and who knows where we will be.

Just my full $0.02 worth

DB1234

 

[Mink]

The thing is guys, it might be all well and good to say that space travel would be really good (and i'm not saying that it isn't, i like the idea too) and it might be possible to travel in space to other planets but the reality of it is that it isn't possible AT ALL (not even in the future).

The only way that u could travel to other planets is if u travelled at the speed of light (the fastest that anything can travel). This in itself presents the first problem as when u travel at the speed of light, it might take 1 hour for u to reach ure destination, but for the rest of the universe, that will be equivilent to a couple of thousands of years. And this is the element that the star wars movies leave out (and yes, i know, it is just a movie).

Faster then light is theoretically possibly, thus hyperspace, which would also eliminate the 10'000 year factor that you brought up.

If u guys are wonder how i know so much about this, it is cause i have done a lot of research into this. I am absolutely fanasinated with space. Also, some of this is contained in Einstiens theory of relativity (at a very basic level as it is extremely difficult to understand it, and i don't really full understand the simplistic version of it)

Relativity is far from infallible

 

[Zeek61]

Faster then light is theoretically possibly, thus hyperspace, which would also eliminate the 10'000 year factor that you brought up.

Yes, theoretically it is possible, but any faster than the speed of light and the electrons, neutrons and protrons in ure body will rip themselves apart in which case u wouldn't actually survive it. The only thing which can travel fast like that are photons (that is light particles) or electrons, neutrons and protons which are not bound to each other to form an element. This state of matter is know as plasma. It is sooo hot that atoms are not definable, it is just free sub-atmoic particles.

And the other thing to remember is that it is theoretical, when u travel faster than the speed of light, the only branch of mathermatic which can predict what will happen is quantum. And even using that mathermatics, astrophysicists still don't fully know what will happen. They only know that the subatomic particles will rip themselves appart.

 

[Mink]

Yes, theoretically it is possible, but any faster than the speed of light and the electrons, neutrons and protrons in ure body will rip themselves apart in which case u wouldn't actually survive it. The only thing which can travel fast like that are photons (that is light particles) or electrons, neutrons and protons which are not bound to each other to form an element. This state of matter is know as plasma. It is sooo hot that atoms are not definable, it is just free sub-atmoic particles.

That or you use another form of FTL travel, wormholes(there called FTL travel due to it being instantaneous almost), we already know that we have dark matter and such in our universe, which we could use to keep them open...and if you ask, how are we going to get a wormhole open? Well given we have the technology to make a micro black hole, it's only a matter of time.

 

[tiger2]

it
i believe is just like time travel, tha main object to it will be money and time.
given time we can explore the universe
and given time i believe we will discover other sentient beings....

 

[Craig]

I have read what everyone has said and WOW you guys really did your research on this one! I dont know a whole lot about any of this but I love the idea of anti-matter, black holes, other dimensions and worm holes! Its all just so confusing and exciting but a bit scary at the same time, like where does the universe end? If you get there what happens? I'm sure one day humanitity will know all this but probably not in my life time lol.

 

[Mink]

where does the universe end? If you get there what happens?

In theory, it curves in on itself.

 

[Craig]

Ye I have been told that theory by my science teacher but I have also heard one theory that it just keeps going wider and wider and eventually it will start to go in on its self :S but if it curves, what is outside the universe if that makes sense? CONFUSING! Lol.

 

[Dash]

Having read all you're feedback, with the general consensus that it's not possible, I find the idea questionable. Virgin Galactic and all these companies are investing in the technologies that will supposedly make space travel happen; they're all sort of living on a dream, believing every minute of it.

Current technology has excelled massively in the past century... even the last 50 years. But our knowledge of the physical values and possibilities in space haven't progressed enough to say "right, we're gonna give people a holiday on teh Moon, and it's gonna be epic! yays!"

The idea of money seems interesting too. Is it possible that they make us believe in it so much right now for investment purposes? And with war. You can't go through life without an argument, so no generation will really go without a war of fairly large scale, no matter what community we're in.

And yeah, the idea sounds mighty impressive, but personally I think there is only so much technology can do. And with that in mind, we don't even live in a close to perfect society as of yet; what with all the developing and third world countries, disease and intolerance around the globe... but still, let's start some new ones thousands of miles away, just for the hell of it!

 

[recovery]

Well, the companies investing in space tourism arn't gonna pull and funky worm hole tricks. They just pet some rather rich people into space for an hour or so. Or... An hour of free fall and call it zero gravity . I think its is a cool idea, its not only just something that is cool, but research is being put into the possibilities of comercial space travel. We are doing what we have been doing for years, buidling better products to do new and wild things. Such as an aircraft that will launch into space.

But I never studied special relativity in any depth. But what I do know, all makes sense. Just gotta let it sink in I suppose. Oh, And its all relative . You arn't traveling at the speed of light, everything around you is. And Dopler will be a Pain I guess for any comunications.

 

[Korey]

Religion is untrue. (not trying to start a religion debate)

But I think if there IS any answer, and life IS significant in any way, the answer will only come through discoveries in outer space.