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44 years to Alpha Centauri

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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
With current technologies.

I give you: Project Orion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_%28nuclear_propulsion%29

>build massive spaceship
>put radiation-proof shield on one end
>launch nukes behind space ship
>accelerate to 0.1c
>???
>get to Alpha Centauri

Nov 26 2012 4:36PM
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accualyisdolan
Posts: 3295 - Karma: -192
Pretty sure the g forces would crush the spaceship if it used a nuke
Nov 26 2012 4:45PM
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NewEscuelers
Posts: 1210 - Karma: 10,960
only 44 years? gee. cant wait
Nov 26 2012 4:48PM
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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
they already thought of that. they'd accelerate the ship for about 36 days at 1g or 9.8 m/s2. they'd probably have some conventional rockets pointed in the opposite direction to help control this acceleration
Nov 26 2012 4:50PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
we could potentially see data from ANOTHER STAR SYSTEM in our lifetimes if we get on this shit.
Nov 26 2012 4:58PM
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JakeAssBeatClap
Posts: 6673 - Karma: 2,537
Yeah I was about to say the G forces wouldn't be too bad if it had already been accelerating, it would ride it like a giant space energy wave. That's cool.
Nov 26 2012 5:20PM
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cbj
Posts: 2114 - Karma: 1,136
Why not go to 0.2c and take half the time?
Nov 26 2012 5:24PM
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gregorio
Posts: 2372 - Karma: 151
That's so rad, I would love to see what kind of data they find from that if they get it approved, finish building it, and then it makes it there in time to see the data in our lifetime
Nov 26 2012 5:25PM
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TallTeeNation
Posts: 903 - Karma: 340
I will put a USA flag on MARS
Nov 26 2012 5:28PM
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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
0.1c is the theoretical top speed for a spaceship of this design
Nov 26 2012 5:31PM
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
one does not simply go to 0.2c
Nov 26 2012 5:44PM
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cbj
Posts: 2114 - Karma: 1,136
Ah. So would thy have stasis tubes or some shit?
Nov 26 2012 5:47PM
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klayer_9
Posts: 2037 - Karma: 188
this would be so cool. I hope they get on this shit. I want to be alive when they get to Alpha Centauri, even if it's not a maned spacecraft.

Isn't it about 10.5 light years away? Communication lag would be outrageous.....
Nov 26 2012 6:01PM
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_Garagely_
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3,248
inb4 countries start claiming objects in outer space and a war starts
Nov 26 2012 6:07PM
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RJ_Res
Posts: 628 - Karma: 292
44 years is actually ridiculously fast. Just to put it into perspective, it would take a modern day space shuttle going at top speed over 165,000 years to get to Alpha Centauri. So yes, only 44 years.

Also, to the person above, Alpha Centauri is about 4.3 light years away, which makes it the closest star to our sun.
Nov 26 2012 7:16PM
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klayer_9
Posts: 2037 - Karma: 188
this is a map google made of 100,000 stars, it's pretty cool. You can see how close Alpha Centauri is to us relative to everything else.

Nov 26 2012 7:22PM
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CliffyByro
Posts: 5678 - Karma: 3,903
threads for later. this sounds way too cool
Nov 26 2012 7:33PM
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JAHpow
Posts: 7282 - Karma: 17,179
That's so sick!
Nov 26 2012 7:43PM
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salomon097
Posts: 1345 - Karma: 301
traveling at those speeds, would it be 44 years from an observer on earth, or 44 years for the passengers of the shuttle?
Nov 26 2012 8:00PM
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NewEscuelers
Posts: 1210 - Karma: 10,960
yeah but im not gonna wait 44 years. im an impatient american who likes to see change immediately and wants twinkies back and thinks moving to canada will magically fix my problems and justin bieber is my worse enemy and i complain about being hungry too much and im not good at typing due to years on facebook and i use tons of water in one shower and i complain about getting a cold and my iphone doesnt run quick enough and whyyyyyyy is the internet so slow and the jiberish website needs to load and why cant porn be free.
America. Shut 'em down
Nov 26 2012 9:00PM
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JWoods
Posts: 2369 - Karma: 2,635
I don't think there would be g-forces in space
Nov 26 2012 9:14PM
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accualyisdolan
Posts: 3295 - Karma: -192
Dude having accelerated first wouldn't make any difference. The nuke will still start at v=0 relative to the spacecraft so it's previous acceleration won't have mattered
Nov 26 2012 9:37PM
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accualyisdolan
Posts: 3295 - Karma: -192
One does not simply...
Nov 26 2012 9:37PM
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accualyisdolan
Posts: 3295 - Karma: -192
Fuck
Nov 26 2012 9:38PM
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Forkstealer
Posts: 508 - Karma: 16
.1 c is so slow that the difference is negligible. But, since you asked, that's 44 years as experienced by somebody in the spacecraft, and 44.22 years as experienced by a stationary observer.

And to the person asking about g-forces, g-force generally refers to the forces experienced due to acceleration. There are g-forces anytime an acceleration occurs. I am guessing that you confused this concept with gravitational force. However, gravitational forces are also present- although are generally much smaller than here on earth- in space.
Nov 26 2012 9:40PM
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accualyisdolan
Posts: 3295 - Karma: -192
You don't think? Lol
Nov 26 2012 9:43PM
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salomon097
Posts: 1345 - Karma: 301
still be time traveling 2 months into the future basically. can you imagine tho getting to alpha centauri in june, while back at earth its only april?!?!
Nov 29 2012 10:17AM
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panojibber.
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 683
Meh, such a crude method that nobody is dumb enough to try.
Besides, how do you slow down when you get there?

Nov 29 2012 10:23AM
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CliffyByro
Posts: 5678 - Karma: 3,903
secondary rockets pointing the opposite direction?
Nov 29 2012 11:35AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
hahaha !

But seriously, interesting OP !
Nov 29 2012 11:39AM
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HWW
Posts: 3084 - Karma: 3,436
What the fuck do you want to do at Alpha Centauri? Starbathe?

Anyway, count me in.
Nov 29 2012 11:45AM
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HWW
Posts: 3084 - Karma: 3,436
1) suggest a better method

2) i would be dumb enough to try it

3) there are lots of ways to slow down
Nov 29 2012 11:49AM
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HWW
Posts: 3084 - Karma: 3,436
Apparently it's about 4.3 light years from our sun, but that's still a fuckload.
Nov 29 2012 11:51AM
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Dragonite.
Posts: 1657 - Karma: 431
That's so fucking sick
Nov 29 2012 11:55AM
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HWW
Posts: 3084 - Karma: 3,436
inb4 other planets have already claimed said objects and start a war with earth
Nov 29 2012 11:57AM
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