Comment by lisper

Comment by lisper 4 days ago

4 replies

It only seems incredibly slow in this model because it doesn't take special relativity into account. If it did, then as you approached the speed of light the Lorentz contraction would make wherever you are heading appear less far away. You can in theory get anywhere in the universe in an arbitrarily short amount of proper time your own reference frame. Of course, you might not survive the G-forces, but that's another matter.

wafflemaker 4 days ago

Don't forget gravity drive. No more Gs. And the same technology would give us real artificial gravity, not this nauseous rotation artificial gravity.

dyauspitr 4 days ago

You can accelerate continuously at a comfortable 1g and get to 0.5c in about 5 months. G forces are not the issue.

  • lisper 3 days ago

    The Lorentz factor at 0.5 c is 0.86 so this only reduces your proper travel time by about 15%. Even at 0.9c the LF is only 0.43, so it would still take you 2 years just to get to Proxima Centauri. And as you approach c, 1G acceleration speeds you less and less. And you also have to slow down at your destination.

    • munchler 3 days ago

      Not to mention that you also have to survive any collisions with specks of dust in between.