Quote:
Originally Posted by noise
the nearest star is about 4.2 light years away.
the nearest extrasolar planet is 10.5 light years away.
the nearest earth-like planet orbiting within the habitable zone of its star is 20.3 light years away.
Mars, on the other hand, is a mere 2.4x10^-5 light years away.
so let's imagine that in 100 years we somehow reduce the time it takes to reach Mars form 230 days to just a week. 7 short days, traveling at about 1/800th the speed of light.
it would still take 3,340 years to reach Proxima Centauri, the nearest star. and a full 16,000 years to get to reach the closest known earth-like planet.
do you see the problem?
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Yes I understand this, but what's to say they don't travel in a sort of space station in which they reproduce on board. I understand I'm getting a bit unrealisitic here but what I'm saying is it is possible, even if faster-than-light travel did not exist (which it
could). But yes, I see what you mean.