Could interstellar travel really be possible?

NASA physicist Les Johnson discusses the science of interstellar travel, whether it's currently possible, and the challenges facing humanity as we seek to explore beyond our own Solar System.

[@kevanhubbard9673]

I use to think that interstellar travel would be possible when I was a kid but now I'm a lot more doubtful.In fact I'm doubtful that we could even get humans to Mars based on the amount a single person eats and drinks in a day and the logistics of getting not only the people but their food and water to Mars too.Getting to another star is even more challenging.

[@fastbow9]

And you will have to send families which would make it immoral!

[@jari2018]

you only assume based on what a normal person eats on how little on can come by really -one could make all astronauts fat before going to mars or Jupiter and just feed them minimal rations and minimal is not much and cheap as hell

[@jhhggygghchdlfyggxzgdltfugc]

All mass is recyclable if you have enough energy, so I think we could feed mars astronauts okay. A modestly sized reactor would drive a "farm" sufficient for quite a few people. (Farm may mean vats of microbes and algae.) Farms on earth need a few megawatts of sunlight to drive the photosynthesis needed to feed one person. Or even just recycle water, and take the food dehydrated to make it much lighter.

[@markvwood2007]

It surprises me that people think a mechanical machine could last that long without falling apart, even with educated and experienced mechanics.

[@davidmcquaid7862]

To do this we need massive milestones across the board. You need microscopic nanotechnology AI bots that provide telepathic human experiences coupled with massive jumps in energy production and then solar sail and/or mechanisms, materials or ways to propel these nanobots to hear light speed and even then we are talking 8-10 years just to get to Proxima Centari (the closest star and planets)

[@yasirarafat9279]

If we succeed in the future in making artificial atoms, molecules have negative mass properties and we humans can keep them in a safe place. These could also give rise to unknown forces enabling humans to reach faster than light speed and reach other stars in days.

[@jhhggygghchdlfyggxzgdltfugc]

Since physics doesn't preclude it, yes it's possible. What it may not ever be is quick or convenient.

[@gjones7547]

Very interesting interview. We can't even imagine the possibilities of stellar travel that may exist in the future. A.I. will revolutionise this travel. Humans belong on planet Earth, but robotic systems can travel to the stars and exoplanets. It's an exciting future. With one caveat. That a habitable Earth exists into the next century?

[@fastbow9]

FOR THE LAST TIME N O N O N O 1000 times. N O

[@eprohoda]

how best channel! =)

[@doug8515]

Probably best to try to fix the transportation on Earth first..., learn to walk before you can fly! We're still only able to 'crawl' at the moment...

[@mattcorbett8019]

🖖

[@j-robertdrouin4871]

I don't believe in it. We'll need huge vehicles with everything we need to live comfortably. They'll have to be cultivated, recycled... The vehicle will have to withstand the harmful rays of the stars. It will need a very compact energy source to propel the vehicle and heat it. I'm thinking here of a nuclear fusion engine. Its speed must be close to the speed of light, because the distances involved are immense. Travelers will need to be emotionally stable. If all this is perfected and we can travel so fast for a few years to reach our destination, there's still one problem to be solved. That's collisions with little rocks. A pebble hit at such speed... ... I've heard that the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft have had some of their instruments rendered useless and partially destroyed by rocks. These ships travel at 72,000 km/hour. Imagine a vehicle traveling at 300,000 km/second, 15,000 times faster than Voyager 1. An encounter with an interstellar little rock could be catastrophic. There are so many problems to be solved and so many dangers during the journey that I don't believe in it, at least not for another 50 or 100 years. I don't believe in it at all.

[@TsarOfTheStar]

100 years is too damn sloooooooooooooooooow

[@Mostopinionatedmanofalltime]

Not possible.😢

[@Salty5ailor]

Et ot DOOT

[@GrimJerr]

No