CompuServe Messages

If I remember correctly (and it has been a while so newer data may exist to the contrary) but the nearest star other than the Sun was about 28 light years. Also old data, but the last time I heard the subject dicussed, no one has yet found and confirmed star that has the similar characteristics to our sun that might support a carbon-oxygen life form. Those non-facts being the case, and the fact that y'all consider my experience on manned space flight missions irrelevant, how so y ou propose to stage, finacially and logistically support a 30 year mission by a ship that can approach .9c speeds with enough essentials to keep a crew alive and sane for the mission duration? Which is more parctical? You move into a house, clutter and mess it up till you can't find anything, the plumbing doesn't work, the appliances are all on the firtz, and the roof leaks. Do you just up and move out or so you repair the damage your caused, be it by wear and tear or abuse? Remember, the problem aslo that you do not have the money to buy a new place, hire a mover and you don't own a truck. What is the practical solution? What makes your proposal all the more difficult to swallow is that you are talking about moving most of humanity, lock staock and barrel (unless you are proposing savein only 10 or 15 elite types for repopulation in the 'new world'). And you think the technology and resources to move most of humanity even two light years will exist by the end of the 21 century? As for the tim ewe have left if the curent envieonmental crisis is ignored, look at ozone depletion reports, carbon dioxide/monoxide concentration reports, areable land loss reports, population increase reports, and species loss figures from the recent world environmental congerss meetings and U.N. environmental issues publications. I didn't take his reponse too personal. Right there is blue and black (My AP screen colors) it said I was stupid. I believe it was directed more at anyone who dared hold different opinions than Mr. Bartlett than at me as an individual. And since I detected no facts in the post that I replied to that supported his contention that the only future was to leave the planet, I responded in kind with summary information. Mr. Bartlett has never, to my knowledge worked intimately in a manned spaceflight job or a deep space exploration job and therefore relies on StarTrek etc for his impressions of what is technologically, socially, prolitically, financially, and environmentally possible. I can categorically state that we are nowhere near close to having the capability in any of those areas to support any manned spaceflight beyond the solar system, nor will we be before the end of the 21 century. Mass movement of mankind at such distances is even more implausible for that time frame. wmc – via Autopilot!