But since
we are describing impossible fictional devices, there is no need to be
constrained to those parameters. Along with the fictional
steady-accelleration
engine, you could toss in inertial dampera and allow for a much heavier
accelleration at the start and end points, with a engines-off crusing
period in
between, which may burn much less unobtanium than steady accelleration.
Engines capable of steady acceleration are not impossible or fictional. They
are real and already in use. It is a mere <g> engineering problem to produce
one that can operate long enough to reach another star.
On the other hand, inertial dampers (as I assume you mean the term) are
fictional and very likely impossible.
An unmanned probe could tolerate higher accelerations, and therefore reach
its destination much closer to the theoretical minimum in our time frame-
those of us waiting behind for it to get there and start sending information
back. That is, just under the light time to get there, and exactly the light
time for the data to arrive back at Earth.
Chris
*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Darren Garrison" <cyna...@charter.net>
To: <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 9:42 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Speed-of-light question
Not to be petty, but I beat Doug by at least half an hour. :-) The time
stamp
on my e-mail is screw up is all (because of my time zone settings in XP.
Unless
you concider using a web calculator to be cheating...
But the numbers given by Doug's math, your math, and my cheating are only
one
possible answer out of many. All assume a steady constant accelleration
to the
midpoint, followed by a steady constant decelleration (which is really
just an
accelleration pointed in the opposite direction) to the destination. But
since
we are describing impossible fictional devices, there is no need to be
constrained to those parameters. Along with the fictional
steady-accelleration
engine, you could toss in inertial dampera and allow for a much heavier
accelleration at the start and end points, with a engines-off crusing
period in
between, which may burn much less unobtanium than steady accelleration.
Say you
have an Orion style spacecraft and a sufficient supply of antimatter
bombs, and
the human crew can survive, within their inertial dampening cocoons, maybe
1,000g of accelleration (or make up your own figure.) There would be any
number
of accelleration rates and times, plus mid-flight cruises, that could give
you
the number you want.
Play with those numbers. :-)
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