Cathedral

Cathedrals:

When might we go to the stars?

When could we launch a 10 ton interstellar probe to Alpha Centauri based on these calculations? Assume 75 years as the maximum travel time that might be acceptable to mission scientists and assume a rendezvous rather than a flyby mission, acknowledging the need to acquire substantial amounts of data at the destination.

As to propulsion options, Millis works with two possibilities, the first being an ideal case that assumes 100% conversion of stored energy into kinetic energy of the vehicle (think ‘idealized beam propulsion’ or even some kind of space drive), the second being an advanced rocket with an exhaust velocity of 0.03c.

The result: The earliest launch for a 75-year probe is 2247, with a nominal date of 2463. This assumes idealized propulsion[.]

Once, men designed and began work on cathedrals that they knew they would not live to see finished. They trusted in those who came after them to carry on their work, until the spires reached to the heavens. It was worth investing their lives in works they would never live to finish, because they did it for the glory of God.

Today, there are still such men.