space travel theory

[tarzan]

How would one travel through space. I'm sure there are theories. This one's probably already been discussed, but here goes.

The Tarzan theory:

Tarzan travels by swinging from vine to vine. The longer the vine, the farther he'll travel, but if he doesn't stear himself toward the next vine he'll end up stranded. The same is true for us and the automobile. We sling-shot from gas station to gas station. We don't think of it as sling-shoting but that's exactly what is happening. Without enough gas to get to the next station we're stranded.

Well, what is there alot of in space? MASS. And mass has gravity. If a way can be found to neutralize and reverse the effect gravity waves have on every particle in an object, and its occupants (hence no perceived motion) then people can use the strength of a planet's gravity to sling-shot from mass to mass. The larger and denser the mass the farther one can travel, provided one manufacturers the craft of a material that can withstand exposure to radiation and micrometeorites. Self-healing materials? Nanotechnologists are already working on that. And with Boeing, BAE Systems, NASA and others finally giving gravity research serious consideration maybe we're on our way.


tarzan

[chroot]

Gravitational slingshots are used routinely in space probe flight paths.

The problem with using a slingshot method for interstellar flight is twofold:

1) Interstellar space is actually very much empty.

2) We need to achieve speeds that are a significant fraction of the speed of light to get anywhere in timescales humans will accept. Gravitational slingshots will not be able to provide this kind of velocity.

- Warren

[Nebuchadnezzaar]

how can you travel through something that doesn't exist(time)?

I suggest you accept that time is a concept which helps us in our day to day lives, it is not real in terms of past/present/future, that's for hollywood, money makers and the like.

[tarzan]

chroot,

I wasn't refering to the momentum generated from sling-shoting AROUND a mass. I know we can do that. I was refering to reversing the effect that gravity waves themselves have on particles within an object (and its occupants).

As an example, take two magnets, one the size of the earth and one the size of a light craft. They attract when their opposing forces face eachother but "flip" one of the magnets (the small one for instance) and they repel. If a way can be found to "flip" the effect gravity waves have on every particle in an object, and its occupants then people can use the strength of a planet's gravity to REPEL from mass to mass (without even feeling any motion).

And a light craft would probably speed away from the earth at a pretty high rate of speed considering it's gravity (nearly zero) relative the the planet it's REPELLING away from.



And Nebuchadnezzaar,

I wasn't talking about time travel.


*Who are these people*

[Jaxom]

Assuming you find out how to make negative gravity, it has similar limitations as using solar sails...gravity drops off quickly as you depart, and thus your propulsion slows to a minimum until you can get to another body. Anti gravity would be the most useful inside the gravity well, not leaving it. If there ever is such a thing...

I'll take conventional nuclear action-reaction for now...it is always the same output throughout the system.

Btw, why would any anti gravity mechanism cancel out inertia? Removing inertia from a mass would make ANY propulsion super efficient. Again, if that could happen at all...

[Nebuchadnezzaar]

apoligises, and leaves the room.

[tarzan]

There would be no inertia because every particle in your body would be pushing away from the planet with the same force. Like I was saying it would have to be a particle physics solution. One that reverses the effect gravity waves have on particles (at the particle level). I've heard of graviton particles, but I don't know much more about it.

[tarzan]

There may still be inertia you just wouldn't feel the effect of it is what I mean.