We could, perhaps move to another planet with a space ship like this

We could move to another planet with a spaceship like this

Our best guess for what it would take to get to planets that are really, really far away.

Proxima b, our nearest neighboring exoplanet, is almost 25 trillion miles away. Even one of our fastest spaceships—the 31,600-​mile-​per-​hour New Horizons—would take hundreds of thousands of years to get there. Assuming we can’t figure out how to warp space-time (seems unlikely, but fingers crossed), we’re still looking at a couple-hundred-year trip in the best-case scenario, which leads to the real problem: No human crew could survive the entire ride. Science-fiction writers have long floated so-​called generation ships as a solution. Designers would outfit these interplanetary cruise vessels to support a ­community of adults and their children, and their children’s children, and their children’s children’s children…until humanity finally reaches a new celestial shore. Here’s our best guess for what it would take to sow the seeds of an extrasolar species.

Career planning

Successive generations need to fill all the vital crew roles—such as medics and mechanics—which doesn’t leave much room for freedom of choice. A version of modern career tests would assign occupations based on aptitude, passions, and available jobs.

Propulsion

We’re gonna need a mighty push. So far, no one’s had any better ideas than Freeman ­Dyson: Slap A-bombs on the back of a ship and physically shove ourselves forward with constant ­nuclear explosions. It’s not safe or healthy, but it’s all we’ve got.
water tanks

Waste management

A healthy human needs almost 300 gallons of water a year, and there won’t be any pit stops. We’ll need to reclaim every drop we use. The ISS already packs a system to recycle astronaut pee, which we’ll scale up to avoid surges of raw sewage from the tap.

Petting zoo

Fluffy and Fido are too great a luxury for space, but evidence suggests a small menagerie of animals could help our immune systems. Toddlers who roll around in pastoral dirt may develop ­fewer allergies. Besides, furry friends do wonders for mental health.

People

One study estimated a starting crew of 160 could maintain a viable population for 200 years, provided they were a diverse bunch. Large gene pools provide crucial variety—we wouldn’t want any two passengers closer than sixth or seventh cousins.

Infirmary

A spaceship might have almost no bacteria, or at least a different set than the terrestrial microbes we’re used to. Our immune systems could weaken, or forget how to fight earthly pathogens. Visiting the homeworld might not be an option.

Dating

To avoid the pitfalls of inbreeding, a geneticist will regulate reproduction. Perhaps romance and parenthood would decouple; folks could pick their spouses but use in vitro fertilization for makin’ babies with optimal partners.

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