Could we build a generation ship?

No. The journey would take tens of thousands of years – hundreds of generations for such a ship to reach even the closest stars. We can’t even build machinery which operates for hundreds of years, let alone thousands.

What do you think might happen to humankind if the Earth becomes too close to the sun?

If Earth was too close to the sun, high temperatures would cause our oceans to evaporate; too far away, and we’d be an icy wasteland. Instead of being in the habitable zone, Earth will be in what astronomers call the hot zone. Oceans, liquid water and life will cease to exist on the planet.

Have we found a planet that can support life?

According to the panspermia hypothesis, microscopic life—distributed by meteoroids, asteroids and other small Solar System bodies—may exist throughout the Universe. Nonetheless, Earth is the only place in the Universe known to harbor life.

How big would a generation ship be?

Some scientists have envisioned generation ships as spheres 10 miles in diameter with a surface area of 314 square miles. Others have proposed hollowing out asteroids, spinning them to create gravity, and using them as starships.

What would a generation ship need?

Generation ships would have to anticipate possible biological, social and morale problems, and would also need to deal with matters of self-worth and purpose for the various crews involved.

How many people would be on a generation ship?

A typical human generation span is 20 years – so there would be around 60 generations of people. That would require a crew of at least a few thousand people in order to maintain genetic diversity.

What would a deep space ship look like?

But in space, there is no sky to create ambient light. As a result, a spacecraft inside a solar system is starkly lit with one side in bright light and one side in deep shadow, much like the crescent moon. Such vehicles in deep space would look like vehicles do on earth at night away from streetlights and with no moon.

What happens when a generation ship reaches a new world?

Occasionally, the generation ship will arrive to discover that someone developed an FTL drive while they were en route and the world they were going to colonize already has a few million people on it. If it’s a Colony Ship, expect the residents to be less-than-keen to leave the ship and start a new colony when they arrive at their destination.

What is the importance of space exploration in human life?

Human Space Exploration. Human space exploration helps to address fundamental questions about our place in the Universe and the history of our solar system. Through addressing the challenges related to human space exploration we expand technology, create new industries, and help to foster a peaceful connection with other nations.

Why do humans explore the world?

Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.

What have we learned about life on Mars?

Robotic missions have found evidence of water, but if life exists beyond Earth still remains a mystery. Robotic and scientific robotic missions have shown that Mars has characteristics and a history similar to Earth’s, but we know that there are striking differences that we have yet to begin to understand.