SpaceFlight_AstronauticsandLightBarrier.pdf

Special Reports Space Flight, Astronautics and Light Barrier Song Jian ( Chinese Academy of Engineering, Beijing 100038) Received 15 April 2005 Abstract: Amazing achievements and accomplishments of space science and technologies in the past hal-f century have profoundly affected all disciplines of natural science and engineering. By the end of 20 th Century, man or man-made spacecrafts landed, or approached and surveyed all planets of solar system and their moons except Pluto. Biologists believe that life may emerge and evolve wherever liquid water exists. No liquid water is ever found yet on all planets and their moons in Solar System except for our Earth. Our mother planet turned out to be the only life- supporting oasis within 4 light years of the Milky Way. It is suggested in this article that time has come for science and engineering communities to study and prepare interstellar flight of manned or unmanned spacecrafts beyond Solar System. Four issues are to be addressed as prerequisite for such flight, namely, detailed survey of nearby space beyond Solar System, design of nuclear fusion rocket engine, long-sustainable on-board life- supporting system and breakthrough of the light barrier. Key words: space exploration; astronautics; interstellar flight; light barrier Everyone is excited by and marvels at the achievements and discoveries in space explorat ion in the past half century. It is even challenging many disciplines of natural science as mathemat ics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, cosmology, biology and engineering science. Ever since the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I, the world s first artificial satellite, in 1957, and its cosmonaut traveled in space in 1961, new astonishing accomplishments and records have been keeping on to pep up scientists, engineers and all walks of life, and engender tremendous influence upon all disciplines of natural science. On July 20, 1969, American astronauts stepped on the Moon. By the end of 1972 twelve as