Could We Really Colonize Earth 2?

[wolram]

Imagine we have found a planet that is as far as we can tell Earth like, it is relatively close to us ,say 50 light years away.
Imagine we have materials 50% stronger than any we have now
Imagine we have a propulsion system 50% more powerful/efficient than any we have now

If we sent humans to colonize this planet.

How many would you send.

What would your spaceship consist of.

Would you go on it, knowing there is a possibility the planet may in some way be hostile to human life.

Of course it will be your offspring you would have to risk.

 

[Cyrus]

I'd send everyone I don't like and leave Earth for those that I do like.

 

[NeoDevin]

I'd take everyone I do like, and leave Earth for those that I don't like.

 

[Nabeshin]

I'd send everyone I don't like and leave Earth for those that I do like.

Earth would be a lonely place =(

 

[NeoDevin]

How many would you send.

Hopefully at least 10,000 to maintain genetic diversity.

What would your spaceship consist of.

It would require 100% efficient recycling, nuclear power (+enough fuel to power it for the hundreds of years it will take to get there), state of the art hydroponics with 0 run-off, and air recycling (perhaps if the hydroponics system was large enough, this could be accomplished by plants, otherwise would need some other form of CO2 -> O2 conversion, with the carbon being returned to the hydroponics system). We'd also need some exercise equipment to keep our muscles from atrophying. Oh yeah, and we would need better radiation shields as well, or an empty ship will be all that would get there.
Edit: And radios, to maintain contact with Earth for as long as possible.

Would you go on it, knowing there is a possibility the planet may in some way be hostile to human life.

In a heartbeat.

Of course it will be your offspring you would have to risk.

I would take him too.

 

[Denton]

Id send bombs. I don't want no pushy Earth clone.

 

[signerror]

You've landed. Enjoy!

 

[wolram]

I guess the planet could be barren, how good are we at determining if a planet has water?

 

[NeoDevin]

I guess the planet could be barren, how good are we at determining if a planet has water?

Or at least the hydrogen and oxygen (and other elements for life) in some extractable form, which could be used to create an indoor ecosystem, and then gradually grow it larger.

 

[neu]

I'd send Abi Titmuss and 10 Footballers to collonise the planet, then put myself in suspended animation for 10,000 years, then pop back to see how things turned out

 

[russ_watters]

Imagine we have found a planet that is as far as we can tell Earth like, it is relatively close to us ,say 50 light years away.
Imagine we have materials 50% stronger than any we have now
Imagine we have a propulsion system 50% more powerful/efficient than any we have now

If we sent humans to colonize this planet.

How many would you send.

With those engineering constraints, I wouldn't send anyone since they'd all be dead eons before the ship got there. It wouldn't' even work as an attempt to propagate the species unless you could have an enormous number of people since inbreeding destroys the gene pool.

 

[neu]

With those engineering constraints, I wouldn't send anyone since they'd all be dead eons before the ship got there. It wouldn't' even work as an attempt to propagate the species unless you could have an enormous number of people since inbreeding destroys the gene pool.

While you have a point, do you not think that given the number of ifs in the OP one might forgo these additional constraints for fear of pointing out the bleeding obvious.

In which case my Abi Titmuss suggestion is wholly sensible

 

[Denton]

I'd send Abi Titmuss and 10 Footballers to collonise the planet, then put myself in suspended animation for 10,000 years, then pop back to see how things turned out

Nuff said.

 

[wolram]

With those engineering constraints, I wouldn't send anyone since they'd all be dead eons before the ship got there. It wouldn't' even work as an attempt to propagate the species unless you could have an enormous number of people since inbreeding destroys the gene pool.

So russ we agree, even the relatively short 50 light year trip is beyond reason in the near future.

 

[DaveC426913]

Something to consider:

Can we speculate a constant acceleration of 1g if we assume a Bussard ramjet drive?

Say we arrive there and immediately send a scout back to Earth to let them know what's up. How much time has passed on Earth?

 

[wolram]

Something to consider:

Can we speculate a constant acceleration of 1g if we assume a Bussard ramjet drive?

Say we arrive there and immediately send a scout back to Earth to let them know what's up. How much time has passed on Earth?

From the Baez rocket site.

One major problem you would have to solve is the need for shielding. As you approach the speed of light you will be heading into an increasingly energetic and intense bombardment of cosmic rays and other particles. After only a few years of 1g acceleration even the cosmic background radiation is Doppler shifted into a lethal heat bath hot enough to melt all known materials.

 

[russ_watters]

Can we speculate a constant acceleration of 1g if we assume a Bussard ramjet drive?

Certainly not. They need to be accelerated conventionally for quite a while before you can even start them and even then wouldn't provide anywhere near that kind of acceleration unless they were already going extremely fast. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussard_ramjet

[edit] Well - since this is GD, I guess we can speculate whatever we want, but it is up to the OP whether this was supposed to be a realistic question.

 

[mgb_phys]

It wouldn't' even work as an attempt to propagate the species unless you could have an enormous number of people since inbreeding destroys the gene pool.

At least in that case we can tell what the landing vehicle will look like:

 

[wolram]

[edit] Well - since this is GD, I guess we can speculate whatever we want, but it is up to the OP whether this was supposed to be a realistic question.

Well as serious as the limit to plausibility.