Interstellar propulsion island hopping the Oort cloud

In summary, Ahad's virtual bridge to Alpha Centauri, which was first proposed in his 2004 scientific article, may have to charge a toll fee. This idea was inspired by a similar concept in the Eagle comic and has since been explored in other works of sci-fi fiction.
  • #1
Eridanus1
17
0
Ahad's virtual bridge might have to charge a toll fee:

http://www.astroscience.org/abdul-ahad/firstarktoalphacentauri/interstellar-propulsion.htm

:!)
 
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  • #2
Hi Eridanus1 welcome to these Forums!

I designed almost exactly the same idea in the 1950's - I was about 9 years old at the time and used my school rough book. Even then the idea wasn't original, I copied it from Dan Dare in the Eagle comic - ah those were the days!

Garth
 
  • #3
Ahha! My nephew beat you to it. He was just 8 when he drew up his first virtual propulsion bridge to alpha centauri...

"Although a few sci-fi authors had previously written one or two fantasy novels that may have used the odd ice ball here or there as a means for propelling space vehicles in their stories, Ahad's 2004 scientific article "Reaching Alpha Centauri using the resources of comets and planetoids" was the first such hypothetical concept to be systematically linking our Solar System to Alpha Centauri via a 'virtual bridge':"

http://www.astroscience.org/abdul-ahad/aa-glossary.htm
 
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1. What is interstellar propulsion?

Interstellar propulsion is a method of propelling spacecraft through the vast distances of space between stars. It involves using various technologies such as nuclear or electric propulsion to achieve high speeds.

2. How does island hopping work in interstellar propulsion?

Island hopping refers to the idea of using the gravitational pull of planets or other celestial bodies to slingshot a spacecraft towards its destination. This technique can save a significant amount of fuel and allows for more efficient travel.

3. What is the Oort cloud?

The Oort cloud is a hypothesized spherical cloud of icy objects that surrounds our solar system and extends beyond the Kuiper Belt. These objects are believed to be the remnants of the early solar system and may contain valuable resources for future space exploration.

4. How can we use interstellar propulsion to reach the Oort cloud?

To reach the Oort cloud, we would need to develop advanced propulsion systems that can achieve extremely high speeds. This could involve using technologies such as nuclear fusion or antimatter propulsion. We would also need to carefully plan and execute a trajectory that utilizes gravitational assists from other celestial bodies.

5. What are the potential benefits of interstellar propulsion and island hopping in the Oort cloud?

Exploring the Oort cloud could provide valuable insights into the formation of our solar system and potentially uncover new resources for space exploration. Additionally, the development of advanced propulsion technologies could have numerous applications for long-distance space travel and could pave the way for future human missions to other star systems.

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