the centauri project
manned interstellar travel

By: Thomas M. Ciesla
continued page 5 of 5

CONCLUSION

Given the proper assumptions, interstellar flight appears feasible. At least it is no less feasible than any of the thousands of exploration sorties undertaken by mankind over the centuries. What is unique and somewhat astounding is the level of complexity and the vastness of the distances

While most of us want interstellar flight to be successful, we realize that even with quantum technological advances, travel to the stars will never be easy. Risks will abound within technology and within man himself. Structural decay of the vessel, fire, epidemic diseases and collisions with uncharted members of interstellar space would put the mission at risk. [Ref. 13] Equally threatening is the prospect of this isolated microsociety developing along a perverse social path.

The exploration efforts of these missions into areas previously uninhabited or visited by mankind is part of the continuing moral drama of discovery. Mankind places himself in a vulnerable position as he takes with him news of his own existence to places that are likely to be abiotic and insentient. Undeniably, part of the risk of this moral drama is the chance of mankind losing its anthropocentricity with the discovery of other civilizations amongst the stars. Should intelligent life be found - though it is inconceivable that it will be in the Centauri system - assimilation of that information into our cultures could have devastating effects on the status quo of institutions and the collective intelligence of mankind.

REFERENCES

1. Barrow, J.D. and Tipler, F.J. The Anthropic Cosmological Principal, Oxford University Press (1988)
2. Billingham, J. and Gilbreath, W. editors, ÇSpace Resources and Space Settlements, NASA SP-428 (1979).
3. Boorstin, D.J. The Discoverers, Vintage Books, N.Y., N.Y. (1985).
4. Bloomfield, M. "Sociology of 86An Interstellar Vehicle", Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol 39,pp. 116-120, (1986).
5. Bova, B. "To Mars and Beyond", Air & Space, Oct./Nov.(1989).
6. Connors, M.M., Harrison, A.A, Akins, F.R., Living Aloft:Human Requirements For Extended Spaceflight, NASA, Ames Research Center, (1985).
7. Forward, R.L., "Feasibility of Interstellar Travel: A Review"97, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, vol. 39/9,pps. 379-384, (1986).
8. Heppenheimer, T.A. "The Mathematics of Manifolds", Mosaic, Vol. 19/2, pps. 32-43, (1988).
9. Martin, A.R., "Space Resources and the Limits To Growth",Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol. 38/6, pps. 243-252, (1985).
10. Miller, D.R., ÇA Study of Relationships: Situations, Identity and Social Interaction Psychology. A Study of Science, Vol 5,S. Koch Ed., McGraw Hill Book Co., pps. 639-737 (1963).
11. O'Neill, G. The High Frontier, Anchor Books, Garden City, N.Y., (1982).
12. Pyne, S.J. "The Third Great Age Of Discovery", in The Scientific and Historical Rationales for Solar System Exploration, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University,(1988).
13. Smith, A.G. "Failures, Setbacks and Compensation In Interstellar Expansion", Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol 38/6, pps. 265-269, (1985).
14. Vulpetti, G., "Antimatter Propulsion for Space Exploration", Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol. 39/9,pps. 391-409, (1986).
15. Wagstaff, B., "A Spaceship Named Orion", Air and Space Oct./Nov., pps. 70-75 (1988).
16. A special thanks to ²David Elkins² for his assistance and comments with this study

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