This is exciting!

[vraiblonde]

NASA, ULA Launch Parker Solar Probe on Historic Journey to Touch Sun

It's not actually going to "touch the sun" - its closest approach will be 3.8 million miles away. Which sounds scoff-worthy, but you have to rearrange your thinking when considering the infinite vastness that is the universe. And we're just staying in our own little dinky ass solar system.

All you need to know about the Parker Solar Probe

At closest approach, Parker Solar Probe hurtles around the Sun at approximately 430,000 mph (700,000 kph). That's fast enough to get from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., in one second.

Think how happy you'll be when they figure out how to do this on Earth so you can go see your grandchildren in Paris in about a minute.

It's stuff like this that makes me wish I could live forever so I can see it play out.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Think how happy you'll be when they figure out how to do this on Earth so you can go see your grandchildren in Paris in about a minute.

The human body can not take the acceleration and deceleration forces required to achieve that speed between here and Paris. A couple thousand mph is probably all that the human body will take to speed up/slow down in that short of a distance.

 

[vraiblonde]

The human body can not take the acceleration and deceleration forces required to achieve that speed between here and Paris.

Yet.

They may not be able to change the human body, but they will be able to change the internal pressure of the vehicle and equalize it for humans to withstand. Similar to the difference between how deep you can dive without equipment, then add SCUBA, then add a basic submarine, then add more advanced submersibles, then whatever happens after that. There's no reason why that concept couldn't be applied to speed travel.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Yet.

They may not be able to change the human body, but they will be able to change the internal pressure of the vehicle and equalize it for humans to withstand. Similar to the difference between how deep you can dive without equipment, then add SCUBA, then add a basic submarine, then add more advanced submersibles, then whatever happens after that. There's no reason why that concept couldn't be applied to speed travel.

Actually there is, your internal organs can not take the G forces, your heart can not pump blood to your extremities because it simply is not strong enough to overcome the effects. Pilots can black out with extended accelerations. Even short accelerations (ie turns) at 9G's cause many to loose consciousness in just a few seconds.

THe issue isn't how fast we can go, but how quickly we get to that top speed and how quickly we can slow down from it. The human body will always be the limiting factor.

 

[Grumpy]

Actually there is, your internal organs can not take the G forces, your heart can not pump blood to your extremities because it simply is not strong enough to overcome the effects. Pilots can black out with extended accelerations. Even short accelerations (ie turns) at 9G's cause many to loose consciousness in just a few seconds.

THe issue isn't how fast we can go, but how quickly we get to that top speed and how quickly we can slow down from it.

Nothing is beyond the realm of possiblities, some invention in the future may be able to counter-act the g-forces.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Nothing is beyond the realm of possiblities, some invention in the future may be able to counter-act the g-forces.

If you are talking about turning people into cyborgs maybe, but you are not going to break the rules of Newtonian physics.

 

[Tech]

Going to the Sun? Is this why they launched it at night? Asking for a blonde friend.

 

[vraiblonde]

Nothing is beyond the realm of possiblities, some invention in the future may be able to counter-act the g-forces.

See, that's the thing: if you'd described a smartphone to our great-grandparents and told them that in a few short decades everyone would have one, they'd have told you it was impossible. What science and technology teaches us is that nothing is impossible - it just hasn't been invented yet.

Brilliant people who invent the impossible are my heroes. If it were up to me we'd still be beating our dirty clothes against rocks.

Regarding the human body and its limitations:

In 1954 Roger Bannister achieved the "impossible" - he ran a 4-minute mile. Now all serious runners can do it.

So is there really a limit to what the human body can do and endure?

 

[Kyle]

40 years ago I'd have thought it impossible that a foreign born muslim would be President!

 

[PsyOps]

40 years ago I'd have thought it impossible that a foreign born muslim would be President!

Let it go Kyle. Let...... it...... go.

 

[GregV814]

40 years ago I'd have thought it impossible that a foreign born muslim would be President!

None of us would have. But its like anything else...as a child if you REALLY wanted the rockem sockem robots and found out they were no more than slick advertising of a cheepazz plastic mass and disappointment set in immediately, you never wanted them again...Unless you are Mike and Frank, modern day blowhards who claim they are worth $8,000.00...

 

[Kyle]

Let it go Kyle. Let...... it...... go.

Are you gonna break out in song from Frozen?

 

[Kyle]

None of us would have. But its like anything else...as a child if you REALLY wanted the rockem sockem robots and found out they were no more than slick advertising of a cheepazz plastic mass and disappointment set in immediately, you never wanted them again...Unless you are Mike and Frank, modern day blowhards who claim they are worth $8,000.00...

I was a Hot Wheels kid.

 

[glhs837]

If you are talking about turning people into cyborgs maybe, but you are not going to break the rules of Newtonian physics.

Maybe just suspend them a little in a small area Point being that there is always more to learn, to expect what we know now is the peak in virtually any field discounts the fact we always seem to find new thing if we keep looking.

 

[PsyOps]

Are you gonna break out in song from Frozen?

I might if you don't stop with the birther craziness. And, trust me, you don't that.

 

[Kyle]

I might if you don't stop with the birther craziness. And, trust me, you don't that.

I was trying to our lefties, but only managed to draw you.

:kicksrocks:

 

[GWguy]

Gotta remember, it wasn't that long ago that scientists were positive that if you traveled over 30mph your blood would boil. Seems pretty silly now, doesn't it?

Technology has a way of altering our thinking and expectations.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

See, that's the thing: if you'd described a smartphone to our great-grandparents and told them that in a few short decades everyone would have one, they'd have told you it was impossible. What science and technology teaches us is that nothing is impossible - it just hasn't been invented yet.

Brilliant people who invent the impossible are my heroes. If it were up to me we'd still be beating our dirty clothes against rocks.

Regarding the human body and its limitations:

In 1954 Roger Bannister achieved the "impossible" - he ran a 4-minute mile. Now all serious runners can do it.

So is there really a limit to what the human body can do and endure?

There is quite a difference between smart phones and this. Smartphones do not break any law of physics, they were simply not possible to make yet due to the tools and knowledge we had at the time. One day we will be able to make tiny plaque eating submarines that we inject and they will clear our arteries to prevent heart attacks, just not yet.

Notice I did not say that speed was too great for a human to endure because once it is up to steady state there are no forces on the body. I think for a human to achieve those speeds they will simply have to accelerate less than around 150 ft/sec/sec for a long time. This is why unmanned fighter jets are the future of air superiority, because no manned craft can achieve the acceleration,deceleration, and turn radius that an unmanned craft will be able to.

Unless we can change our bodies in some way we are more likely to be able to bend space and time for fast travel than simply accelerate ourselves to great speeds.

 

[Gilligan]

I wonder if there is any way we could talk NASA in to making this a manned mission....and take Tranny.

 

[Gilligan]

Gotta remember, it wasn't that long ago that scientists were positive that if you traveled over 30mph your blood would boil. .

It happens. You ever been stuck behind someone doin' 30 in a 40?? I have. Makes my blood boil.