Jakarta –
In 2021, American astronauts James Lovell, Fred Haise, and John Swigert are the three people who did space travel furthest from Earth during the Apollo 13 mission.
When Lovell, Haise, and Swigert flew behind the Moon, they were 400,171 kilometers from the earth’s surface. Light takes 1,335 seconds to cover this distance. Can humans explore further?
Maybe someday. Let’s take a look at the technology we need to go further into space Ilmu IFL.
Moon, Mars and more
If our goal is to explore the solar system, we already have a lot of technology for that. There are powerful rockets that have been used several times, and manned vehicles are being designed to bring humans back to the Moon and beyond. However, there are still many concerns.
The further away we are from Earth, the higher the dose of cosmic radiation we receive. Our planet’s strong magnetic field protects a large part of it. What protects humans while away outer space?
Researchers have actually tested the solution by studying a fungus found in Chernobyl that survived the radiation. One day, this research could be used as a live shield system in spacecraft and human habitats.
In general, elsewhere in the solar system there are extremely dangerous environments that could easily kill us. Even though we can achieve it, it doesn’t mean we can develop there.
It should also be noted the possibility of alien life somewhere. So we need to discuss how our existence there could harm potential organisms living outside Earth.
Towards the stars
Has all the challenges of the journey outer space “Local” can already be conquered, maybe humans will turn their attention to the stars. Can we travel to another star system?
Let’s take a look at Proxima Centauri, the star closest to the sun. At the speed of light, it would take more than four years to get there. If we were to reach the speed of the fastest spacecraft ever (NASA’s Parker Solar Probe in its closest distance to the Sun), it would take nearly 8,400 years to get there.
There are proposals to send robotic explorers there. Miniature space robots might get there in just a few decades, and larger, nuclear-powered robots could travel in a few hundred years. This idea is interesting, but unsuitable for humans. Even if trying to be realized, this journey will take time beyond the average human life.
Next up: Approaching the speed of light and traveling to the ends of the universe
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