Previous Post in this Debunking Series.
Why is it necessary to debunk bad or unrealistic technologies? If don’t we live in a dream world idealized by theoretical engineering that has no hope of ever becoming financially feasible. What a waste of money, human resources and talent. I’d rather we know now upfront and channel our energies to finding feasible engineering and financial solutions. Wouldn’t you?
We did the math required to figure out the cost of antimatter fuel one would require just to reach 0.1c and then cost at that velocity, never mind about reaching Alpha Centauri.
| Table 2: | Antimatter Rocket Fuel Costs to Alpha Centuariat 0.1c (in metric tons) | ||||
| Source of Estimates | Amount of Antimatter Required | Maximum Velocity |
Spacecraft Mass |
||
| (metric tons) | (metric tons) |
Gerald Smith |
NASA |
||
|
2.5E+16 |
6.25E+16 |
||||
|
Total $ Cost of Fuel for Trip |
|||||
| A Poor Formula for Interstellar Travel |
5 |
0.1c |
2,000 |
1.25E+20 |
3.13E+20 |
| Project Valkyrie |
100 |
0.1c |
100 |
2.5E+21 |
6.25E+21 |
The table above compiled from various sources shows that the cheapest cost of just reaching 0.1c velocity is of the order of $125,000,000,000,000,000,000. This so unthinkably large even I don’t know how to conceptualize it, and by comparison, conventional rockets appear realistic!
Also note that the large variations in the estimates of the amount of antimatter required combined with the larger variations in the mass of the spacecraft antimatter engines could propel. That is no one reallys has a handle on what this would take.
But wait, let me quote EJ Opik, “Is Interstellar Travel Possible?” Irish Astronomical Journal, Vol 6, page 299.
The exhaust power of the antimatter rocket would equal the solar energy power received by the earth — all in gamma rays (and Opik quotes Carl Sagan, Planet. Space Sci., pp. 485–498, 1963) “So the problem is not to shield the payload, the problem is to shield the earth”
I don’t need to say more. Debunked.
Next psot in this Debunking Series.
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Benjamin T Solomon is the author & principal investigator of the 12-year study into the theoretical & technological feasibility of gravitation modification, titled An Introduction to Gravity Modification, to achieve interstellar travel in our lifetimes. For more information visit iSETI LLC, Interstellar Space Exploration Technology Initiative.
Solomon is inviting all serious participants to his LinkedIn Group Interstellar Travel & Gravity Modification.