Missions to Deep Space ?

I was on a website looking at pictures of deep space and other galaxies taken by Hubble and got to thinking.

Why can't we travel into deep space ? I mean send a human to the milky way or even further away ?

Please don't blast me, I'm no scientist and have never studied astronomy or the galaxy, it's just a question that popped into my head today.

Do we even have the ability to travel that far? Would we be able to sustain a human? Furthermore, would a human be able to stand such a distance in a space craft? I dont claim to know the answers to such questions, but I do suspect it would be most stressful on the passenger(s), the craft, and the people involved with such an endeavor.

that's what I'm asking... those very questions THINKER...

with all of the technology we have today, isn't it possible ?

Maybe we've tried and failed ?

You asked "Why cant we", I listed questions which could raise problems. Those questions I asked could be the reasons why we cant. Just thoughts, not bashing you elevatedone.

THINKER>.. Oh no.. .I didn't take it that way

You posed the questions that I wish i would have added to my original post

Thanks for the help !

No problem ! Thats what I, we are here for

The main reason at the moment is that with current propulsion technology it would simply take too long to get anywhere. Nor is there any reason to send humans before we've even sent probes.

I haven't actually looked into this in a while so I'm unsure of the approximate times taken to reach anywhere, from memory it was something like 50 years to reach Alpha Centauri? (closest star, 4 light years away or so).

In that case I would say that we would definitely need to find better methods of transportation. No way a human would be able to spend 50 years in a probe

NASA is working on putting human beings into an artificial winter sleep, so we can survive intergalactic space travel.

They are also testing ION drive engines and solar sails, which can - in theory - accelerate to 1/10th the speed of light.
They are also seriously working on nuclear propulsion (again)...

With current/near future technologies you're looking at a 40 to 50 year journey to the nearest star (Proxima Centauri, 4.2 light years)

Originally posted by elevatedone
Why can't we travel into deep space ? I mean send a human to the milky way or even further away ?

I know of about 6.5 billion humans in the milkyway right now.

We are in the milkyway. Thats the name of our gallaxy. We are about 2/3rd out from the gallactic center.

Quest, thanks pal...

I meant.. past the milky way !! Darn I knew that I would get it one way or the other..

at least I can laugh too

Don't be surprised if they bring up using nuclear power for prepulsion in the next few years. It would be no doubt probably the fastest way of space travel at the moment, but in fact would just be a clever way for the government to get nukes into space.

www.globalsecurity.org...

www.space.com...

Originally posted by elevatedone
Quest, thanks pal...

I meant.. past the milky way !! Darn I knew that I would get it one way or the other..

at least I can laugh too

I didn't mean anything by it. I just found it amusing. It VERY common to hear since people mean explore the REST of the milkyway since its so huge.

I do the same when people talk about finding intelligent life in the universe. "Cause we checked the earth already and there is none here."

again, looking at pics from hubble inspired me to start this thread.... I'd love to go into space and have a look around ! It seems so beautiful and peaceful !

Can anyone recommend anymore good sites with "space pics" ?

I'm searching on google, but hopefully you guys already know the good ones ?

Originally posted by John Nada
Don't be surprised if they bring up using nuclear power for prepulsion in the next few years. It would be no doubt probably the fastest way of space travel at the moment, but in fact would just be a clever way for the government to get nukes into space.

www.globalsecurity.org...

www.space.com...

LMAO yeah we screwed our planet up enough...ON TO THE REST OF THE GALAXY !!!

JohnNada, I think that we might already have "nukes" in space.

All of these NASA "research" missions over the years, who says we don't have a "satelite" or "space station" up there holding the nukes ?

Excellent page on the topic.

Interstellar Travel

Worth reading through, covers quite a bit.

(and is conveniently cross-referenced).

Originally posted by elevatedone
JohnNada, I think that we might already have "nukes" in space.

All of these NASA "research" missions over the years, who says we don't have a "satelite" or "space station" up there holding the nukes ?

True, I guess its possible that there is who knows what up there right now

*also wouldnt bones loose their calcium or something and they'd become weak?

its really really really really really far.
id love to get there, but theres no point if ill be dead a dozen times over.