3 days to Mars?

A symposium on photonic propulsion by Phillip Lubin from the University of California Santa Barbara.

That could open up the solar system, if it works.

Mars in 3 days

Fantastic find! I hope it proves out within the next 10-20 years too, that would be incredible.

No need for one-way, no return, manned colonization efforts with this concept. Nor would astronauts have to suffer through ten's of months of solitude in a tiny room in space. Only a month in a shuttle is far more appealing (the 3 day concept is for non-shuttle craft) I guess that would be the case once they get to mars still

a reply to: CryHavoc

Very cool, I didn't know we had overcome a few roadblocks like the phased array laser driver and photon recycling, though he doesn't presume its viability for his projections, would be incredible.

Naturally, Brin got a plug in.

originally posted by: Ghost147
Fantastic find! I hope it proves out within the next 10-20 years too, that would be incredible.

Well, not really. That would be 10-20 years and 3 days to Mars.

a reply to: Ghost147

The link in part doesn't talk about putting people on board a "Mars in three days" ship. It was about spacecraft, probes of a subminiature chips type. If you had such a huge ship that could haul people in that manner, the acceleration would crush materials such as the human body onto the back bulkheads in a very thin slime in a very short time. Think impossible g loads on the entire craft and contents.

Hmmm. Photonic propulsion sounds an awful lot like a subwoofer.

Subwoofers would be better for the dark side of the moon.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Hmmm. Photonic propulsion sounds an awful lot like a subwoofer.

Subwoofers would be better for the dark side of the moon.

"And if the dam breaks open many years too soon,
And if there is no room upon the hill,
And if your head explodes with dark forebodings too,
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon."

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: Ghost147

The link in part doesn't talk about putting people on board a "Mars in three days" ship. It was about spacecraft, probes of a subminiature chips type. If you had such a huge ship that could haul people in that manner, the acceleration would crush materials such as the human body onto the back bulkheads in a very thin slime in a very short time. Think impossible g loads on the entire craft and contents.

A manned vehicle in about a month:

This method could propel a 220-lb. (100 kilograms) robotic craft to Mars in just three days, Lubin said. A crewed vehicle would take a bit longer to get to the Red Planet — maybe a month or so, he said.

news.yahoo.com...

a reply to: CryHavoc

Heard about 3 days to Mars way back 35 years ago

still waiting in hope

Now git ya ass ta Mahhhs!

www.digitaltrends.com...

Here is another link where he indicates 30 minutes to Mars is possible and that the technology can be scaled to any size. This really is pretty exciting. It means that realistically interstellar travel could be possible within 100 years. If the first trip could be launched by 2103, that would be exactly 200 years from the Wright Brothers to interstellar travel which is remarkable.

There are a huge number of things that have to be worked out. But, at least this idea makes reasonable sense and doesn't involve something that sounds simple like folding space, which is easy as soon as we figure out how to harness the power of six universes and humans can withstand the temperatures inside worm holes that are approximately 5M degrees....You get my point. FTL travel would be great, but, it could take millions of years to figure it out, even if it is possible at all... Other things that will be required to make this possible, develop a space elevator system to get to the surface of planets and return, be able to grow food in space to sustain the astronauts, develop a space station to build huge ships and power these ships.

I am guessing the first interstellar flights will be probes and I will stick with my date of 2103. I won't be here unfortunately to know if I am correct. But, if man can pull this off within 200 years of first developing flight, it certainly makes the Fermi Paradox more important and interesting....I would then put money on manned missions to 5 - 10 exoplanets within 50 years after that to planets where life has been identified to exist or where humans should be able to survive.