"Interstellar distances are huge, even compared to the vast interplanetary distances we encounter in the Solar System. With current rocket technology, it would take hundreds of human lifetimes to reach even the nearest star."
"Chemical-based rockets leverage quite efficient fuel sources, like liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, but transform less than a millionth of the fuel's rest mass into energy."
"The ultimate fuel source would be a matter-antimatter annihilation: It's 100% efficient. Barring the discovery of some new law of physics, only antimatter provides the power we'd need for realistic interstellar travel."
"Three main challenges arise in the endeavor to use antimatter as rocket fuel, all of which must be overcome if we actually want to have humans embark on an interstellar journey."
Humanity's success with Artemis II has reignited dreams of interstellar travel. Current rocket technology limits speed and fuel efficiency, making it impractical to reach even the nearest star within a human lifetime. Chemical rockets are inefficient, while nuclear fission and fusion offer slight improvements. Antimatter annihilation presents a 100% efficiency potential for propulsion, but significant challenges remain in its creation and utilization. Overcoming these challenges is essential for embarking on interstellar journeys.
Read at Big Think
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