Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site decwrl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!prls!amdimage!amdcad!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-louie!dipirro
From: dipirro@louie.DEC (Are we having fun yet?)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Unified Field Theory and space travel
Message-ID: <1144@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 29-Oct-85 16:02:41 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1144
Posted: Tue Oct 29 16:02:41 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 31-Oct-85 09:27:07 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 33

>>	I'd be interested to know if any of the new theories will cause
>>reconsideration of some of Einstein's theories of relativity. I'm particularly
>>interested in the speed of light being a limiting factor for space travel.
>>Most people agree that as long as speed-of-light restrictions apply, it is
>>impractical for intelligent life forms to travel to different star systems
>>(unless, of course, their solar system is about to blow up).
>
>Most people are wrong!  Interstellar flight at sublight speeds is almost
>certainly practical with forseeable technology.  A few years out of one's
>life is not an impossible price to pay to get to a place with room to grow.
>One will not casually visit other star systems at sublight, but colonization
>is quite practical.


I've gotten quite a few flames of this nature. I misrepresented my own views.
So I guess I deserve it. I realize that space travel at close-to-light speeds
is feasible in the foreseeable future. It may even be practical for colonization
or research. However, travel to any star system at nonrelativistic speeds will
take a LONG TIME and require some clever mechanism to support humans for the
trip duration. However, if those humans do not intend to return, then they can
travel at nearly the speed of light and into the future at the same time. They
are gambling that technology won't find a better way to do this in the time
that slipped by. These people might find much more advanced humans already at
their destination when they get there.

I still contend that its not practical, economically or otherwise. That is not
to say that we shouldn't or won't do it. I think we will as soon as we're able.
Impracticality has never stopped humans before.

Steve DiPirro
Digital Equipment Corp.

"All my views are also the views of my cats, Hughie & Louie."