NASA discovers first Earth-sized planets beyond our Solar System

The Huntsville Times ^ | 12/20/11 | Lee Roop

[KevinDavis]

MOFFET FIELD, California - NASA's Kepler mission has discovered the first Earth-sized planets orbiting a sun outside our Solar System. NASA says the planets - Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f - are too close to their star to be in the so-called habitable zone. That's where where liquid water could exist on their surfaces.

[rake]

I was a young boy in the early 60s and I was completely fascinated, long before the moon landing. I can still remember my Apollo lunch box :-)

[KevinDavis]

Question, does the Bible mention Mars???

[GonzoGOP]

It is impossible at this time to carry enough water to make a very long journey to other planets.

Recycling Water is not Just for Earth Anymore Hardware is flying now. It is the first attempt and it is 93% efficient. Human travel to other solar systems is still probably out. But within our own it could be done if there was a reason to do it. Water certainly won't be the issue.

Radiation and cosmic rays, on the other hand, might keep us close to home. The increased risk of cancer from cosmic rays in space is about 1% per year of exposure. On a one year round trip to Mars, that is an acceptable risk. For comparison smoking is a 15% increase in risk. On a 100 year trip to another solar system that cosmic ray risk goes to 100%.

Mars would be about our limit and then we would be limited to how long we could stay, unless water Ice is found on Mars.

Not an if any more. NASA Spacecraft Data Suggest Water Flowing on Mars We could stay on Mars almost indefinitely with the right equipment and a judicious use of local resources. Look up The Case for Mars or hit one of Dr Zubrin's lectures on Youtube.

However as you pointed out there is a big difference between going to Mars and going to another solar system. On Mars you have local resources to make up for loses in the recyclers. On a multi century mission to another solar system you don't. On Mars you can dig down a few meters into the local regolith and be safe from cosmic rays. On an interstellar ship no such luck.

For now at least any interstellar travel will have to be robots. Largely because robots don't mind radiation or multi century trip times.

[dr_lew]

I was 20 years old when Apollo 11 landed. I remember the day well. It’s sad to think that this and the subsequent Apollo missions were the apex of manned exploration, in my time, and very likely for a long time to come. I would hate to think that it’s for all time, as this would portend a bleak future for mankind, but when you search Youtube for “Apollo” you are overwhelmed by “Apollo hoax” videos. To me this indicates a future where the Apollo missions are regarded as a myth, as the living memory of them fades. The Truth is out there.

[Vaquero]

And right under our noses.

right under our noses??
this star is 1000 light years away.

With Alpha Centauri, just over 4 light years distance is about 250000 years away given current travel technology, we had better get those 'alcubierre warp drive' plans up and running if we plan on going to Kepler-20e or f.

[central_va]

250000 years

Has the species homo sapiens even been around that long?

[dragnet2]

And right under our noses.

right under our noses?? this star is 1000 light years away.

You're joking?

In astronomical terms, 1k light year is nothing. zip. You don't know this? We're so close in astronomical terms, our entire solar system and stars 1k out merge together in the field of view, just down the astronomical block.

Again, my comment was meant to illustrate how damn primitive man really is. Even after thousands of years, man can't even get to the nearest planet, let alone head into interstellar space.

Reading threads like this, where others pop off about how they know there is no other life in the universe, because someone here told them that, proves how damn primitive we really are.

[Vaquero]

I know how far 1000 light years are...yes it is nothing in the universe...it is nothing in our galaxy...but not compared to our current technology....compared to our technology it might as well be in Andromeda(which is near by comparison to all other galaxies except the magellanic clouds..).

[dragnet2]

Yeah, what I said.

[BenLurkin]

We’ve found Klendathu?

[La Enchiladita]

Hey Kevin, send me a postcard when you get to Kepler-20e.

:):)

[KevinDavis]

Longer than 6000 years...

[America_Right]

The apparent size and age of the universe suggest that many technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations ought to exist. However, this hypothesis seems inconsistent with the lack of observational evidence to support it.

We don't have the tech to observe such evidence, yet. It is totally impossible given the number of stars in the galaxy, and the number of galaxies in the universe, that we are the only intelligent life.
The small number of radio frequencies that we are observing do not cover much of the usable spectrum. Plus, I believe, radio signals lose cohesion (is that the right word?) after about 5 light years - so much so that they become lost in the background noise of the universe. This makes it pretty difficult to detect other civilizations.
Hubris or arrogance is the only way to explain why people could possibly believe that we are alone.

[America_Right]

You could have a highly developed civilization of squids.

Would the cost to develop technology to travel across the galaxy be worth it to find really smart calamari?

Heheh...