It really was 40 years ago...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

 

Do you know how big space is?
How many centuries it would take to reach the nearest star with a planet?
Even if it were possible to make a self-sustaining spaceship that would support
several thousand people for several thousand years, it would make no difference
at all to those left behind. (B-Ark references here....)

 

I was flabbergasted when I read t'other day that some kid believed that
'because his teacher taught him that in school'..

Phil

 

Don't you mean Major Tom?

Phil

 

I was 4 and we didn't have a TV.. Dad says that he woke us all up to go
and listen to the radio but I don't remember it..

Phil

 

*Most* people weren't, and aren't, interested once the first landing
was over. Where is the great public demand to return to the moon?

 

Don't you mean Captain Scarlet?

 

Well obviously I wasn't even around, so I don't remember squat.

What fills me with anticipation[1] is thinking how much technology has
advanced in these past 40 years, and wondering just how far it will leap
in the next 40 years, which I should be around to see. The potential is
staggering.


[1] Well, sort of.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, CT

Quite so. I was surprised to hear that it was only his third in tests,
and his first at Lords, mind.

Oh, I *do* hope not. And I'd pay decent money to have had a
"Ponting-cam" showing Ricky's face as each wicket went down.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

I have already made the greatest contribution to the fight against climate
change that I can make: I have decided not to breed. Now quit bugging me and
go and talk to the Catholics.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

It's a perennial problem.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

I have already made the greatest contribution to the fight against climate
change that I can make: I have decided not to breed. Now quit bugging me and
go and talk to the Catholics.

 

"It was the only round of applause I've had all week"

Smashing.

 

Let me see - the Centauri system is 4.3 ly away. Assuming a 10%
light-speed then the trip would take approximately 50 years - but
because of time dilation the apparent trip-time for the passengers
would be less (I can't be bothered to work out the maths).

Now 10% is a very low estimate for the trip velocity - even 50%
lightspeed would reduce the trip to about 10 years. And those sorts of
velocities are achievable with current technology[1].

Whether they would find any usable planets in the Centauri system is
another matter - best bet is probably Epsilon Eridani (10.5 LY).

Phil

 

If you could get a spacecraft up tp 1,000,000 mph it would still take
3,000 years to get to the nearest star, never mind a star with a
habitable planet.

 

D'oh!

[1] I like the fact that the Japanese version of an ion engine is
called Hayabusa..

Phil

 

Sure, but in the build-up, and for the landing itself, the whole world
was interested.

Ah well, once done, it was seen to be a bit underwhelming. Apollo 13
perked up the interest level a bit, but once the challenge had been
completed, what was the point?

 

ITYF Champ's just read too much Sci-fi. I'm sure he's aware of the
fact, as well as the extreme unlikelihood of ever finding life out
there, but like many people, includiing all the daft-as-brushes SETI
crowd, still somehow believes that science will provide a magic
answer.

 

I'm with Champ on this one.

'Habitable' does not necessarily mean 'one with life already existing'.
Being in the warm-water zone with available water[1] would do. The rest
can be dealt with (OK - it would take a long time but as long as water
is available the rest can follow).

Phil.

[1] Two stikes against Mars. Although there *is* plenty of water it's
not easy to get to. If you have water then you can make oxygen and
hydrogen - which is breathing and power sorted out..

 

<Visions of "ChampWorld">

Eeeuurrgh.

 

Ginger Tom?

 

And coincidentally, here's another space story from the same day, that
could have been missed because the bloke was watching the Ashes:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/jul/21/jupiter-scar-comet-asteroid-crash