The Space Thread

About that new version of the Alcubierre drive: that's obviously way cool from a theoretical perspective, but we should keep it mind that (unless I am misunderstanding something) the new version still requires the mass-energy of 1600 pounds (or about 720 kg, if you prefer) of matter to operate.

That's far less than the mass-energy of a Jupiter-sized planet, of course, but it's still a huge amount: one gram of matter corresponds to about 25 GWh, so we are talking about 18000 TWh, or, if you prefer, about 15500 megatons (I hope I did not mess up any conversions, that would be embarrassing... )

For comparison, all nuclear testing done until 1996, put together, yielded about 510 megatons; and in 2008, Russia consumed less than 8000 TWh, and Germany consumed less than 4000 TWh.

Also, I am not clear what the energy requirement of the new version of the Alcubierre drive is for: for that enormous amount of energy, how much mass could we move? At which speed, and at which distance?

Now, don't get me wrong, I am excited about this and I look forward to hearing about the new developments; but I wouldn't bet on us having a warp drive anytime soon yet.

edited 10th Dec '12 2:07:13 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

The article made it sound like the 1,600 pounds is for going to the nearest star in a few weeks. Very specific, I know.

But honestly, I'm not too excited about interstellar travel—that's awesome, obviously, but it's going to take time. Casual interplanetary travel is going to be the first viable use of the technology, and will have a much more direct impact on the solar system.

Unless I'm mistaken about the way the drive would work mass is a non-issue as the drive isn't moving the ship but rather bending the space around the ship.

Speed may or may not be the same I have no idea how difficult it wold be to change the rate at which space is warping compared to the energy already required to generate the warp in the first place.

edited 10th Dec '12 9:00:05 AM by jaustin89

Hm, that's a good point. It's possible that the lion's share of the energy is only required to generate the warp and cancel it at the end, in which case it will be about the same for any distance. But it's more likely to require continuous energy, meaning shorter distances will be cheaper.

Alright we can have a Captain, quarter master can be a commander, the the head of each individual group can be a lieutenan, ect.

just thought of something else- food. there going to need to be a farm in the center of the ship, that's going to require at least a couple dedicated crew.

the mass issue is more getting our hands on that kind of fuel and getting it to orbit. If we were to build one of these ships, one of the big costs would be just getting the stuff up to orbit. Best thing would be a space elevator, of course. Skylon would be a good second.

edited 10th Dec '12 11:02:39 AM by Joesolo

I'm baaaaaaack

Where does that energy go, by the way? Also, if you are moving against a gravity field, you still need propulsion.

edited 10th Dec '12 10:59:11 AM by SeptimusHeap

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman

that propulsion would be much reduced. we might get away with very-low thrust.

I'm baaaaaaack

I would think that it would almost certainly require power to maintain the warp(and probably wouldn't require any to cancel.), my point was more that the speed that the "bubble" moves at relative to the space around it may not have much if any impact on the energy budget.

Of all the launch methods I've heard of this seems to be the most feasible, at least in the near term.

edited 10th Dec '12 11:28:14 AM by jaustin89

Impressive idea, but a 1,200 mile long track? that'd be from California to Indiana, I can't think of many places we could build something that long.

edited 10th Dec '12 1:05:39 PM by Joesolo

I'm baaaaaaack

Over the ocean is the standard assumption, since if something goes wrong there's minimal danger. I think the start point still has to be on land, but even if that's true, it's not a big deal.

edited 10th Dec '12 2:00:44 PM by Discar

The first and best use would probably be unmanned probes. Less risk and we'd find out if there's actually anything worth going for. In any case, whatever theory says, I'm betting it will be a century or two before that practical problems are solved.

Trump delenda est

Hubble looks back to just 380 million years after the Big Bang

edited 13th Dec '12 6:10:02 AM by TheBatPencil

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

Cassini spots a river (of liquid methane) on Titan.

This is the first time we were able to discover a river in another world.

Coool.

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Ooooooh... mind you, I really, reallllly wouldn't want a dip in that...

it'd be the polar bear club on steroids.

I'm baaaaaaack

Well, there's also the whole industrial solvent side of things... choking (smelling that?!), freezing solid and dissolving at the same time? Pass... Besides, you find a swimsuit that'll hold up and look epic...

edited 13th Dec '12 2:07:13 PM by Euodiachloris

"The radar image, according to NASA, was taken on September 26, 2012, and it details Titan’s north polar region, where the river valley flows into Kraken Mare, a sea that is similar in size to the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea."

That's a lot of liquid.

Methane has a liquid form?

And there's rivers made of that stuff on titan?

BRB, getting a match.

Of course. Every gas has a liquid form if you cool it down enough (edit: or subject it to high enough pressure). Now if we ever find solid methane then we've found something extraordinary.

edited 13th Dec '12 3:01:30 PM by Kostya

Yeah, I knew that, but I'm trying to forget my chemistry courses.

Dont forget to bring some oxygen.

"Kraken Mare"

Why does space have all the cool names for places?

And let us pray that come it may (As come it will for a' that)

Because most scientists are glorious nerds?

Because NASA discovered that there are giant squids on Titan and don't want us to know about it.

Trump delenda est

I must admit, the first thing that came to my mind after reading that name is that it might make for some seriously disturbing My Little Pony fanfiction

(Yes, I know that "Mare" = "Sea" and it is pronounced differently — it works like that in Italian too — but still)

edited 14th Dec '12 11:53:00 AM by Carciofus

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.