Interstellar journeys in human lifetimes: Numerical computations

Peter J. Riggs

doi:10.1088/1361-6552/aa5ee4

Interstellar journeys in human lifetimes: Numerical computations

Peter J. Riggs^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Contrary to some contemporary accounts, a spacecraft with low acceleration can reach speeds very close to the speed of light in just a few years. In support of the teaching of special relativity, an easy to use software application has been created which calculates the values for travel times and distances to astronomical objects for such a spacecraft. This spreadsheet application may be conveniently employed as a basis for class exercises.

Original language	English
Article number	033001
Journal	Physics Education
Volume	52
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6552/aa5ee4
Publication status	Published - May 2017

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title = "Interstellar journeys in human lifetimes: Numerical computations",

abstract = "Contrary to some contemporary accounts, a spacecraft with low acceleration can reach speeds very close to the speed of light in just a few years. In support of the teaching of special relativity, an easy to use software application has been created which calculates the values for travel times and distances to astronomical objects for such a spacecraft. This spreadsheet application may be conveniently employed as a basis for class exercises.",

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AB - Contrary to some contemporary accounts, a spacecraft with low acceleration can reach speeds very close to the speed of light in just a few years. In support of the teaching of special relativity, an easy to use software application has been created which calculates the values for travel times and distances to astronomical objects for such a spacecraft. This spreadsheet application may be conveniently employed as a basis for class exercises.

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Interstellar journeys in human lifetimes: Numerical computations

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