New Earth-like Planet?

[TeenageAngst]

Er, I'm not quite sure about that. First off you don't mention any necessities; how are you going to feed an entire city in space? Scrap that; where's the oxygen going to come from? If the answer to both those questions is gardens, likely 75%+ of the ship will need to be nothing but plants. Also, for any long-term mission like the one you're describing, it becomes imperative that we find some source of artificial gravity. And electricity? If you're going outside the bounds of our solar system, then solar power might not be reliable.

So in a way, you are right. We do have the technology to get there. But human interest in getting there is only one in long list of problems we've got going before such a mission becomes viable.

Obviously the entire city wouldn't be people and roads and buildings, it would mostly be dedicated to life support and essential equipment. Artificial gravity could be achieved through a variety of means, for example centrifugal force of a rotating compartment. Considering people would only be living in 25% of the ship, most likely something around 10-15%, it's not like we'd have to rotate a massive part of the ship. Electricity should be rather obvious considering it's a nuclear powered space ship.

The point is these aren't problems that can't be solved now. It's not like we need to perfect fusion technology or master wormholes before it's possible, we just need to work on the practical aspects and raise the funds and international interest. That's the biggest issue, a project like this is too big for any one nation to perform.

[Solly]

how are you going to feed an entire city in space?

Hydropoics - growing plants in nothing but nutritional, recyclable water

Scrap that; where's the oxygen going to come from?

Simply chemical filters. Didn't you ever watch Apollo 13?

If the answer to both those questions is gardens, likely 75%+ of the ship will need to be nothing but plants.

Not really. If there are only 2000-5000 people on a ship the size of a city, you'd only need to dedicate maybe 20% at the most for supplying food.

Also, for any long-term mission like the one you're describing, it becomes imperative that we find some source of artificial gravity.

As TA said, only a small portion would actually have to rotate.

And electricity? If you're going outside the bounds of our solar system, then solar power might not be reliable.

Remember, this is out of the solar system, not the galaxy. If the majority of the ship were covered in solar panels it could easily hop from star to star - stopping at one star to recharge and then quickly moving to the next. Or as TA said a nuclear reactor.

[Kirby]

How would we make a trans-galactical ship though? Even with the most optomistic views the neareast one is thousands of years away with this method. And scientists believe that a cloision of our galaxy and another one a few billion years from now will spell doom for habitatal palanets here are some get wipped out into oblivion or sucked into either of the supermassive black holes due to gravitational forces.

[Solly]

How would we make a trans-galactical ship though? Even with the most optomistic views the neareast one is thousands of years away with this method. And scientists believe that a cloision of our galaxy and another one a few billion years from now will spell doom for habitatal palanets here are some get wipped out into oblivion or sucked into either of the supermassive black holes due to gravitational forces.

.

[Kirby]

Just warning ya. Not only the earth has a doomsday but the whole galaxy.

[Solly]

Galaxies passing through other galaxies usually don't effect each other at all because the stars are so far apart. Worst comes to worst a few of the stars on the inside of the milky way are lost.

[Rayne]

in a billion years id say that if humans still existed we would probably have the technology to jump to alternate universes let alone galaxies

[Kirby]

Not at this rate.

[Kirby]

Galaxies passing through other galaxies usually don't effect each other at all because the stars are so far apart. Worst comes to worst a few of the stars on the inside of the milky way are lost.

That may be true BUT such a collison would:
a: fling us out into space which is the most optmistic because nothing else happens
b: sucked into a black hole. Thats pretty bad. Also collisons "re activate" black hole centers making them once again start to munch on the galaxy.
c: Bring us closer to the center of the milkyway. Which is most likely. While that may seem harmless its actually aweful. The center is jam pacted ful of stars. The chances of earth being put into a gama ray burst super nova or something else are sure to happen.

[Rayne]

Not at this rate.

totally at this rate.

[Kirby]

Rayne the republicans just got control. That means atleast 1000 years of darkness.

[TeenageAngst]

Rayne the republicans just got control. That means atleast 1000 years of darkness.

Okay, I laughed.

[Solly]

If in the 2 millions or so years of existence of homo sapiens we have already gotten to the moon, I'm sure in 500 times that amount we'll eb able to get to another star.

[Kirby]

But to another galaxy? Only time will tell.

[Solly]

Probably to another galaxy as well. Preferably through deep hibernation.

[ShadowRaven]

Hydropoics - growing plants in nothing but nutritional, recyclable water

You would need ACRES of that shit just to stop them from falling over. And what about a balanced diet. Also, water recyclable isn't 100% efficient, so if you need to feed ACRES of plant life and THOUSANDS of people you're gonna run out after a while. Also it's hydroponics.

Simply chemical filters. Didn't you ever watch Apollo 13?

I remember the part where they almost died of carbon dioxide poisoning because THE FILTERS AREN'T 100% EFFICIENT. And please don't say oxygen garden. Just, don't. Do you know how much oxygen is consumed by 1000+ people? Daily?

Not really. If there are only 2000-5000 people on a ship the size of a city, you'd only need to dedicate maybe 20% at the most for supplying food.

Plants eventually die, especially if you're harvesting them so regularly. What about seasons? What are the people going to survive on during the off-periods?

As TA said, only a small portion would actually have to rotate.

Okay, I'll accept that one.

Remember, this is out of the solar system, not the galaxy. If the majority of the ship were covered in solar panels it could easily hop from star to star - stopping at one star to recharge and then quickly moving to the next. Or as TA said a nuclear reactor.

Politics means there is NO WAY a space-faring vessel will be allowed to store that many potential lethal nuclear weapons on board. But if you DO manage to get them on board, I guess it's plausible.

From:
ShadowRaven

[Kirby]

Nuclear Reactor =/= nuclear warhead. If I am not mistaken a few of the NASA space probes are already nuclear powered.

[Kirby]

If you don't have a "cold" season the plants continue to grow and make many harvests. Thats why the south is so profitable for food.

[leo33wii]

fucking serious? that's why you put a small amount of people within a large vessel. all of them in a chemical induced coma that they can recover from.
small amount of food and oxygen regulated by programs could take care of it.

(and technology will evolve where it can be even more reliable).

[Solly]

SORRY FOR THE TYPO SHADOW.

1)Acres and acres = city-sized ship

2)Obviously different areas would be planted with seeds at different times.

3)Have you ever heard of Golden Rice?

4)Last time I checked nuclear energy is perfectly acceptable.

[ShadowRaven]

But it would need to be refined, stored and turned into something blow-upable and detonated just behind the ship to propel it forward?

Apart from that, Solly just schooled me.

From:
ShadowRaven

[Kirby]

Shadow I can assure you that nuclear power is refined since the 1960s.

[Darkrai331]

Perhaps. The Chinese will probably ge there before we do...

The chinese will probably invent a spaceship capable of getting there first but I think the americans or russians will actually get the first

[Rayne]

why do people care so much about who does it first as long as the technology is shared and ends up being beneficial for the whole of mankind

[Kirby]

FYI: the Russians haven't had a serious space program since the 80s

It shows how slowed down we have become. 60 years ago only us and Russia had space capabilities. These days every country and there brother has a space program and we are barely holding on to our superiourity in space since the biggest thing we ever did was land on the moon and anyone can do that now.