On Saturday, December 31, 2016 at 8:09:47 AM UTC-5, Chris.B wrote:
On Saturday, 31 December 2016 10:48:33 UTC+1, RichA wrote:
Earth-like? I'd believe it when they get there. Here's the travel time:

-Current rocket technology (if a large enough one could be built): 120,000mph.
25,000 years to get there.

-Project Orion 10,000 ton class ship: 80% speed of light peak speed.
14 years.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2016...d-orig-nws.cnn

Since the distance is effectively unmanageable one needs to "fix" the time factor.
It can only be a matter of time before time becomes malleable to our devices.
Whether the rocket will "have time" to avoid high velocity dust particles is another matter.
Perhaps it won't matter since the journey would never involve covering the entire distance at relativistic velocities.

One can only hope that an advanced civilization takes pity on us and gives us a helping hand with interstellar travel.
The question remains which factors are denying us this information already?
Imagine an advanced civilization looking at us now:
What could possibly convince you of our worthiness to be allowed off our small, blue blob?
Take me to your leader?
Putin? Trump? Assad? Kim? Xi?


0bama? Illary?