Lily Delansig

Faster Than Light

May 12, 2023

In this presentation, the first thing that is explained is the difference between the speed of

light and a lightyear. The speed of light, in simple, is how fast light waves can travel. A lightyear

is the distance light travels in one year. “Faster Than Light” is about the quest for interstellar

travel outside of our solar system to explore space. Even though it's difficult, scientists imagine

ways to travel faster than light. The closest star to us is Proxima Centauri but at the moment it is

a mystery weather or not there is an atmosphere or life on the planet in hopes of humans one day

visiting it. The technology needed would have to be advanced beyond the modern technology

due to how far it is and how fast the invention would have to go. There are many different ideas

being drawn up and thought of. An example is that new kinds of spacecraft is being tested using

nuclear explotions. Another idea is then warp drive spacecraft. The idea is to have a probe land

on a planet without a human but it has the ability to look travel around the planet while observing

the soil, land, and materials.Other ideas includes a solar power station orbiting Earth that is

holding little rockets as fuel, Project Daedalus which uses a new kind of fuel called

fusionlaserbeams, and antimatter.

This talk and movie piqued my curiosity greatly. The event was made even better by the

fact that we were able to view it in the planetarium. The description of all the challenges and

complexity of the creation and use of these discoveries struck me as important during this

presentation. A spacecraft would need to carry 17 times its weight in fuel to travel to the moon.

The spacecraft would require far more fuel to reach Proxima Centauri, which would be nearly
impossible for it to carry. The antimatter fuel would need to be generated from a substance that

has not yet been created because it would be far too hot and melt the spacecraft. It would still

take them a very long time to reach the star—possibly hundreds of years—even with these new

fuels and ships, not to mention the time it would take the craft to simply slow down. The power

supply is one of the largest difficulties. The spaceship would require an energy source with a

capacity greater than that of the United States.

ARTICLE:

https://www.space.com/33844-proxima-b-exoplanet-interstellar-mission.html

The article delves into the fascinating topic of Proxima b, an exoplanet situated within the

habitable zone of Proxima Centauri, our nearest neighboring star. Scientists are intrigued by

Proxima b because it possesses the potential to harbor life, making it a prime candidate for future

interstellar missions. However, its distance poses significant challenges for spacecraft travel

using conventional methods. The Breakthrough Starshot project proposes using ultra-light

nanocraft propelled by powerful laser beams to propel them to a fraction of the speed of light.

The article acknowledges the immense technological and logistical challenges associated with

the Breakthrough Starshot project, but highlights the profound importance of Proxima b as a

potential milestone in humanity's quest for interstellar exploration. The article underscores the

value of exploring this exoplanet and the potential insights it could provide in our exploration of

the cosmos.

The article discusses the concept of nanocraft, ultra-light spacecraft propelled by laser

beams, as part of the Breakthrough Starshot project. These nanocraft would be propelled by
powerful lasers from Earth, using light sails to capture and harness the momentum. However,

developing these nanocraft poses technological challenges, such as advancements in laser

technology and communication and navigation systems. The project aims to push the boundaries

of interstellar exploration and study exoplanets.