Telepresence — Our Best Bet For Exploring Space 309
Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute recently wrote an opinion piece for the NY Times discussing the limitations of our space technology. He makes the harsh point that transporting human beings to other star systems isn't a reasonable goal even on a multi-generational time frame. However, advances in robotics and data gathering could instead bring the planets and stars to us, and do it far sooner. Quoting:
"Sending humans to the stars is simply not in the offing. But this is how we could survey other worlds, around other suns. We fling data-collecting, robotic craft to the stars. These proxy explorers can be very small, and consequently can be shot spaceward at tremendous speed even with the types of rockets now available. Robot probes don't require life support systems, don't get sick or claustrophobic and don't insist on round-trip tickets. ... These microbots would supply the information that, fed to computers, would allow us to explore alien planets in the same way that we navigate the virtual spaces of video games or wander through online environments like Second Life. High-tech masks and data gloves, sartorial accessories considerably more comfortable than a spacesuit, would permit you to see the landscape, touch objects and even smell the air."
Re:Latency (Score:4, Funny)
Re:'Human' (Score:5, Funny)
I find your idea fascinating, may I subscribe to your newsletter?
virtual astronauts .. (Score:3, Funny)
Send a craft with a virtual reality simulation of a crew running on board. On the journey have the VR simulation recreate contemporary earth culture. The VR program fabricates various crises for the 'crew' so as to keep them occupied and to distract them from the knowledge that they are in a simulation.
When the craft arrives at the destination connect the VR simulation to robots through short-range-high-bandwidth radio connections. Have the VR simulation be updated by the robots interactions with the real world. Then beam the simulation back to Earth and run it locally with humans plugged in to it.
'Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world [imdb.com] and the real world?'
Don't let second lifers at the data (Score:2, Funny)
My God ... It's full of flying phalluses
Re:Latency (Score:5, Funny)
... followed by a big "else" and a big "end if".
Re:Ignores time dilation (Score:3, Funny)
I'm ready. Hell, I'm 52 (errrr, uhhhhm, 53 tomorrow) and I'm ready to go. What's wrong with the younger generation? For that matter, what's wrong with MY GENERATION?!?!?!
Build that big assed Roman Candle, give me some room and some food, and light that bastard off!!
Re:Latency (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Ignores time dilation (Score:3, Funny)
Twenty years can get you anywhere in the galaxy at one g.
Try 74,000 years. Our Milky Way galaxy is approx. 100,000 light-years in diameter. We are about 26,000 light-years from the center. Even at the speed of light, it would still take us 74,000 years to reach the far side of the Milky Way galaxy.
Twenty years would only get us, well, about 20 light years away from our Solar System which is drop in the bucket compared to the size of our galaxy.
Re:Latency (Score:3, Funny)
I've got just word for you, son: teledildonics.
Re:Latency (Score:1, Funny)
A large enough impact could make your body look something like this [wikipedia.org]. I doubt you could survive such an impact today.
Wearing a full-body suit of armor would make that less likely to happen. But is it worth it? No, you've probably got other problems that it would be more efficient to delegate resources towards...
Re:Latency (Score:5, Funny)
Good news. Every number is a sum of powers of two.