First habitable extrasolar planet discovered

[Vendrin]

Maybe charlie's ship works on the idea that it would be launched from earth or an orbital installation to gain it's initial thrust.

I.E. Mass driver.

[NickD]

I've already thought of a machine(need to do the physics tests in 3DS Max) that will operate in zero-g, have no exghaust, and powered by a reactor will approach and surpass the speed of light, no bullshit.

Feel free to correct my relatively simple college physics and general science knowledge here, but isn't that technically impossible? I mean, unless your intention is to disprove or work around Einstein's Theory of Relativity (E=mc^2)? As you approach the speed of light, mass increases; as mass increases, the Force required to continue accelerating towards the speed of light must increases (Fnet=ma), which would eventually become impossible to continue, as you would run out of energy to provide the ever-increasing Force to move the ever-increasing mass.

Yes, unless there's a serious and very well hidden flaw in relativity, you cannot go faster than light. There are two potential loopholes:
A) Wormholes. You can connect together two points in space by a very short tunnel and go through that. The loophole this uses is that you never actually travel faster than light, but you cover a massive distance much faster than you ever could otherwise.
B) Bending space. This is the Alcubierre drive, essentially you stretch out space behind you and compress it in front, making a bubble around you that travels faster than light. The loophole here is that you're not actually moving, and objects in space are prevented from moving faster than light--however, this does not apply to space itself. The bubble of space you're in travels well beyond c.

A benefit to both of these is you wouldn't experience any time dilation like you would traveling at relativistic velocities for real. There's also the old hyperspace/subspace/the Warp/whatever device, but there's zero evidence of anything like that existing.

And other than warping space, no, you cannot travel without exhaust. Exhaust is what provides thrust. The solar sail is technically an exception, but there the star is providing the "exhaust".

What a couple of cynical bastards you are! I believe in you Charlie! Most scientists end up being proven wrong eventually!

[Grand Fromage]

And the acceleration from a solar sail would be painfully slow....

The ultimate speed is pretty good though. And if you use a rocket, you can swing around close to the star and get a huge initial acceleration, from what I've read. There are supposed to be solar sail experiments beginning in the next few years, so we'll find out.

[NESchampion]

Maybe charlie's ship works on the idea that it would be launched from earth or an orbital installation to gain it's initial thrust.

I.E. Mass driver.

Then it still wouldn't be able to match or surpass the speed of light without breaking the Theory of Relativity, because a mass driver still uses force to create acceleration.

Wormholes, as mentioned before, I could see; but "testing" that in a physics program?

[mxlm]

The ultimate speed is pretty good though. And if you use a rocket, you can swing around close to the star and get a huge initial acceleration, from what I've read.

Yeah, but then you need to add mass for radiation shielding. Might mitigate the benefits of swinging by the star.

[Grand Fromage]

Wormholes, as mentioned before, I could see; but "testing" that in a physics program?

Yeah, there's no testing involved. We know it'd work, but the energy required is well beyond anything that could possibly be generated, and we don't know how to manipulate space directly. FTL has been an obsession of some of the greatest minds in history for near a century, so forgive me for not believing some random internet person solved it while screwing around in the garden.

Yeah, but then you need to add mass for radiation shielding. Might mitigate the benefits of swinging by the star.

Radiation shielding may not need mass for long, an electromagnetic radiation shield is being worked on and seems very promising so far.

[NickD]

FTL has been an obsession of some of the greatest minds in history for near a century, so forgive me for not believing some random internet person solved it while screwing around in the garden.

Ah, but Einstein was just a random patent clerk and didn't really consider himself all that brilliant, just persistant. Rutherford was a scientist, but he wasn't considered all that bright, but he worked out all that half life stuff and the age of the planet and things.

[mxlm]

Radiation shielding may not need mass for long, an electromagnetic radiation shield is being worked on and seems very promising so far.

Now that's interesting. Out of curiousity, GF, what sources do you browse to find this sorta info?

Ah, but Einstein was just a random patent clerk and didn't really consider himself all that brilliant, just persistant. Rutherford was a scientist, but he wasn't considered all that bright, but he worked out all that half life stuff and the age of the planet and things.

It's not uncommon for people of extraordinary talent to consider themselves normal. Because often they aren't working that hard, they're just that much better.

[Grand Fromage]

FTL has been an obsession of some of the greatest minds in history for near a century, so forgive me for not believing some random internet person solved it while screwing around in the garden.

Ah, but Einstein was just a random patent clerk and didn't really consider himself all that brilliant, just persistant. Rutherford was a scientist, but he wasn't considered all that bright, but he worked out all that half life stuff and the age of the planet and things.

The greatest discovery in physics since relativity is going to require a lot more evidence than a statement on a game forum, particularly one that reads as if the writer doesn't really know what he's talking about. I suspect understanding basic kinematics (the difference between friction and inertia, for example) comes before inventing FTL travel on a whim.

[Mulu]

Whatever. My time machine made out of recycled aluminum cans beats your so-called "knowledge" any day. I'd explain how I made it, but it's still in testing.

[AcadiusLost]

Metalocalypse said it best:

We've discovered how to travel forward through time at the speed of ordinary time, using plastic bags.

Times travels face-bag for the win.

[Veilan]

The ultimate speed is pretty good though.

lulz, the ultimate speed for anything is pretty gud in space :F

[mxlm]

Not really, since with most sources of propulsion you tend to run out of fuel rather quickly.

[Grand Fromage]

Not really, since with most sources of propulsion you tend to run out of fuel rather quickly.

This. The only available technologies that can provide any decent speed are solar sails and ion drives, both of which have glacial acceleration. The new laser thruster is looking promising though.

To your question mister mxlmitaroo, I read so much news in so many places that it's hard to answer, but www.space.com is always good.

[hollyfant]

A lot of interesting propulsion ideas here, except... where are the brakes?