Interstellar Travel

Purpose and Motivations

1st Edition - March 23, 2023
Editors: Les Johnson, Kenneth Roy
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 9 1 3 6 0 - 7
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 9 1 3 6 1 - 4

Interstellar Travel: Purpose and Motivations is a comprehensive, technical look at the necessary considerations for interstellar travel addressed by leading experts in the field… Read more

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Interstellar Travel: Purpose and Motivations is a comprehensive, technical look at the necessary considerations for interstellar travel addressed by leading experts in the field, from scientists studying possible destinations (exoplanets) and the vast distances between, to those concerned with building institutions and capabilities in society that could sustain such endeavors. In addition to the technical, medical, and anthropological aspects of deep space travel, the ethics and morality of spreading Earth-based life to other worlds is also examined.

In the first book of a three-book compilation, Interstellar Travel: Purpose and Motivations offers in-depth, up-to-date and realistic technical and scientific considerations in the pursuit of interstellar travel and is an integral reference for scientists, engineers, researchers and academics working on, or interested in, space development and space technologies. With a renewed interest in space exploration and development evidenced by the rise of the commercial space sector and various governments now planning to send humans back to the moon and to Mars, so also is interest in taking the next steps beyond the Solar System and to the ultimate destination – planets circling other stars.

Cover Image
Title Page
Copyright
Table of Contents
Contributors
Contributor biographies
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1 Exoplanets: Where shall we go?
Chapter Outline
1.1 Detection methods
1.2 Exoplanets: A history
1.3 Demographics
1.4 Best candidates for life: Top 10
1.5 Reconnaissance
1.6 Summary
References
Chapter 2 Reconnaissance: Studying the target from afar
Chapter Outline
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Methods of observation
2.3 Detecting life on an exoplanet
2.4 Space and ground-based exoplanet studies: Future plans
References
Chapter 3 The scale of the problem: Interstellar distances, time, and energy considerations
Chapter Outline
3.1 Cosmic distances
3.2 Space transportation fundamentals
3.3 Travel times: A matter of scale
3.4 Energy needs for the journey
References
Chapter 4 Robots, people, or some combination—What or whom should we send to the stars?
Chapter Outline
4.1 Context
4.2 The origin of technological challenges
4.3 Interstellar navigation
4.4 Trusted autonomy
4.5 Interacting with an interstellar crew
4.6 Conclusion: A construct for interstellar telepresence
References
Chapter 5 Is a solar system-scale civilization a precursor to going interstellar?
Chapter Outline
5.1 Human expansion into space
5.2 The cost of exploration
5.3 Robotic interstellar exploration
5.4 Human interstellar exploration
5.5 Technologies to be developed and their attendant requirements
5.6 Conclusions
References
Chapter 6 Maintaining the biocultural health of interstellar voyaging cultures: Lessons from institutions, cultural adaptation, and cultural propagation
Chapter Outline
6.1 Questions and definitions
6.2 What are the challenges of an interstellar voyaging culture?
6.3 Long-term maintenance of interstellar voyaging culture
6.4 Concluding comments
References
Chapter 7 Evolving humanity: What will become of us?
Chapter Outline
7.1 Malleable humans
7.2 Adapting to space
7.3 Designing Homo Stellaris
7.4 Becoming Homo Stellaris
7.5 Brave new world
References
Chapter 8 Should we colonize (interstellar) space?
Chapter Outline
8.1 Introduction
8.2 The framework
8.3 The promise and perils of space colonization
8.4 Conclusion
References
Chapter 9 The Fermi Paradox and Astrobiology
Chapter Outline
9.1 Prologue: History of the Fermi Paradox and the Drake Equation
9.2 Life as we know it - Earth as a case study
9.3 Our solar system as a case study for extrasolar systems
9.4 Other solar systems
9.5 The Fermi Paradox: Challenges in interstellar life detection
9.6 Afterword
Abbreviations
References
Chapter 10 Interstellar program risk/benefit trade-offs, and possible mitigation strategies
Chapter Outline
10.1 Species risks
10.2 Societal risks
10.3 Societal benefits
References
Index

Les Johnson

Les Johnson is a physicist and NASA technologist at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center where he is the Principal Investigator for flight demonstration of advanced space technology systems including solar sails, power systems, and most recently, space based solar power. He was the co-investigator on the Japanese-led T-Rex space tether experiment that flew in August 2010, the Principal Investigator for the NASA ProSEDS space experiment, received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal three times, and holds 3 space technology patents. His book, Solar Sails, a Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel was favorably reviewed in the journal Nature (10 April 2008). Graphene: The Superstrong, Superthin, and Superversatile Material That Will Revolutionize the World also appeared in Nature (25 January 2018) and was excerpted in American Scientist (May-June 2018). Les is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, the British Interplanetary Society, the National Space Society, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and MENSA – and is the Program Chair of the Interstellar Research Group.

Affiliations and expertise

Physicist and NASA Technologist, NASA Science and Tech Office,George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, The Interstellar Research Group, Oak Ridge, USA

Kenneth Roy

Kenneth Roy is a newly retired professional engineer. His professional career involved working for various Department of Energy (DOE) contractors in the fields of Fire Protection and Nuclear Safety. As a long-time research interest, Kenneth has been working with the idea of terraforming. He invented the “Shell Worlds” concept as a way to terraform planets and large moons well outside a star’s Goldilocks’ zone and under stars that have a radically different spectrum from our Sun. This was published in the January 2009 Journal of the British Interplanetary Society (JBIS). Kenneth has published multiple papers on terraforming and space colonization that have appeared in leading journals and has written chapters that have appeared in several space related books. Kenneth is a founding member of the non-profit corporation Interstellar Research Group (formerly the Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop) and remains active in the organization.

Affiliations and expertise

Formerly Founding member and Engineer, Tennessee Valley, The Interstellar Research Group, Oak Ridge, USA

Life Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Health