To the Stars!

[Sava]

Warp speed is about building an interstellar empire, not evacuation.

Seems necessary to outrun the effects of a neutron star passing through.

[N35t0r]

I totally support the linear accelerator idea. Digging a massive underground accelerator that exits up a mountain could work.

[Donegeal]

Oh sure, a Neutron Star wandering into our solar system would surely destroy everything, but Neutron Stars don't wander. Hell, we would actually be wandering into it. Neutron Stars are no less than twice as massive as our sun and it would be IMPOSSIBLE for one to be anywhere near us without us knowing about it and the 75 year time frame in the docu would be more like 1000's of years warning. So, just ignore the Neutron Star, and focus on the time frame and the evacuation.

[Colonâ„¢]

Seems necessary to outrun the effects of a neutron star passing through.

There's not gonna be a neutron star. Quit being gloomy.

[Donegeal]

I totally support the linear accelerator idea. Digging a massive underground accelerator that exits up a mountain could work.

Seriously, I don't understand why NASA or some uber-rich guy isn't funding the research/construction of a LinA. Once that monetary hurtle is overcome, the entire space industry (construction, research, mining, exploration, tourism etc) would be a monopoly for whoever built it. Nobody could compete with someone who's cost to weight ratio is about $3USD/KG to $10,000+USD/KG.

[Sava]

A linear accelerator is a good idea. I'm just not sure why we need the whole Earth evacuation scenario.

[Donegeal]

I think they created the evacuation scenario just to easily overcome the 'Why would we spend so much money on something like this?' question.

I might be over my head, but I am seriously thinking about starting making an LinA with my daughters. Obviously it'd be small. I'm thinking about a hula hoop with a ball bearing and some electromagnets that turn on/off/reverse polarity to get the thing moving. Get some readings and maybe even some launching mechanism (like some hole that leads to an upward facing tube that only allows the bearing to go through when you press a button).

You never know unless you try, right?

[C0ckney]

i watched the documentary, it was interesting stuff, thanks donegeal.

the one thing that struck me was, why just one huge ship? why not several smaller ships, heading to different destinations. if we wouldn't be able to know the conditions on a target planet before arrival, it would be a massive risk to send a ship, with the last of humanity on board, for a century and then find that the destination was uninhabitable. it seems to me that several ships, with several different destinations, would be a more sensible survival strategy.

[Donegeal]

I also agree. That was one of the many things that my father and I stopped to discuss. Ultimately our conclusion was that a world-wide effort in this particular scenario would ultimately fail. Too many 'we're not doing A if B is going to happen.' or some such. We actually concluded there would be several multinational efforts going on. USA, Canada, UK that included Japan, Australia and maybe even India. China would probably do one all by itself. Same with Russia. And maybe the rest of Europe could finally get along to build one (that one I don't know as I don't know how strong nationalism runs in Europe). Perhaps the Muslims would try. I don't know. We were just pretty sure the US would be so strong headed as to start telling counties like Iran Equador and NK to go **** themselves and then where to they stop? The world wide effort fails and several multinational groups form to build their own ships and defend them.

[The Mad Monk]

Oh sure, a Neutron Star wandering into our solar system would surely destroy everything, but Neutron Stars don't wander. Hell, we would actually be wandering into it. Neutron Stars are no less than twice as massive as our sun and it would be IMPOSSIBLE for one to be anywhere near us without us knowing about it and the 75 year time frame in the docu would be more like 1000's of years warning. So, just ignore the Neutron Star, and focus on the time frame and the evacuation.

Powerful Spinning Star May be Fastest Stellar Runaway

Not so for IGR J11014-6103, a special type of rotating neutron star known as a pulsar. The explosion that created this object came with a kick that sent it flying away from its birth location at blistering speeds of between 5.4 and 6.5 million miles per hour.

[Donegeal]

Meh.. ok. I knew Neutron stars move, just like all the stars in the galaxy. My point still stands. Even if a Neutron star moving this fast were coming, we'd know about far sooner than 75 years.

That's besides the point. The point is "Disaster X is coming in 75 years. It will destroy not just the Earth, but the entire solar system! We have to leave! ('X' in this particular case, is implausible.)" Now how do we get to another star?

[N35t0r]

The Vogons tell us the Earth will be demolished in 75 years to build an intergalactic bypass.

[The Mad Monk]

Meh.. ok. I knew Neutron stars move, just like all the stars in the galaxy. My point still stands. Even if a Neutron star moving this fast were coming, we'd know about far sooner than 75 years.

That's besides the point. The point is "Disaster X is coming in 75 years. It will destroy not just the Earth, but the entire solar system! We have to leave! ('X' in this particular case, is implausible.)" Now how do we get to another star?

In very small pieces.

[Donegeal]

Damn. Already used my 'thanks' for the day.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

As I cannot be bothered to read it all

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_pulse_propulsion

fairly straight forward and a dozen countries could build it today themselves, plus get to AC in a lifetime of those on board.