Re: did M2P2 ever launch?

Eric wrote:
Sam Wormley wrote:

Eric wrote:

Do you think the theory behind it is sound?
Eric

I'm just guessing--the theory and technology are just fine, but
what is the application at this point in time? What does the
funding buy?

I think if we ever intend to explore outside the solar system (unmanned)
we need to work on getting the speeds up, the M2P2 was supposed to set a
speed record. I see things in about the same light as when we were first
looking at the sound barrier. Alpha Cent is about 4.25 ly right? Thats approx 24.9 trillion miles one way.
At 10 milion mph we could be there in about 30 years sending radio data
back. The big question is, is it possible to get a vehicle up to that
speed, and if so, is it possible to have it survive at those speeds for 30
years without running into a particle that would vaporize it? I've heard of
various methods to protect against that sort of thing that sound quite
reasonable. It seems to me that NASA spends way to much time and money on pet
projects. They seem to miss the big picture. Prime goals right now should
be: #1 manned mission to Mars, #2 Manned moon base, #3 Science package to
Europa to drill through the ice. Work to create very fast space vehicles
supports all 3 of those goals. We have mucked around in LEO far too long.
It rankles me to no end that the shuttle and various other projects are
used primarily as political tools ie various "mixed nation" crews, teacher
in space, student dust collector to pluto, yada yada yada
Whats next? Send a palestinian to the ISS?
Eric


The latter might do more for world piece than getting up to 0.015 c in
a raceship (race+spaceship).



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Relevant Pages

  • Re: did M2P2 ever launch?
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  • Re: did M2P2 ever launch?
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