Re:The Universe Within 12.5 Light Years
by lazide on Friday September 05, 2025 @08:35PM
(#45145394)
RTGs lose power rapidly as the isotopes decay, and any sort of communication over those distances requires massive power. The Voyagers are essentially dead due to this issue, and they haven’t been out there nearly that long.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Re:The Universe Within 12.5 Light Years
by no_wizard on Friday September 05, 2025 @09:04PM
(#45145593)
What about a fission reactor?
It would likely need a standalone fission reactor that only ‘goes hot’ when it arrives.
I’m not sure that we have the engineering ability to actually do that with any real chance of success after a 100 year deep space flight, or the willingness to wait that long to find out.
Re:The Universe Within 12.5 Light Years
by ekianjo on Friday September 05, 2025 @09:20PM
(#45145685)
That runs for dozens of years without maintenance? And how do you dissipate the heat?
Re:The Universe Within 12.5 Light Years
by yread on Saturday September 06, 2025 @02:20AM
(#45147058)
Open the rear end and you get propulsion as well. Just don't start close to earth
Re:The Universe Within 12.5 Light Years
by sfink on Saturday September 06, 2025 @02:26PM
(#45151668)
You still need matter to carry the heat, and matter is heavy (by definition!) Radiating the heat isn't going to be enough if you want to send anything other than a blob of plasma.
Which is an interesting thought when considered as a weapon. Fire a self-immolating fission reactor at your target...