Can we exit our solar system?
Climate change is altering our planet, and some have wondered if we may have to leave Earth to another distant planet. To bring this into perspective, 19,000 years ago humans were still hunters and gatherers, while Neanderthals and Mammoths still walked the Earth.
What happens if we leave the solar system?
At this point, Earth’s oceans will be covered in several meters of ice. Any humans left living on the surface would be living on borrowed time. As Earth finally exited the solar system, it would then become a rogue planet, traveling the interstellar void in darkness and solitude.
How long would it take to get to leave the solar system?
The spacecraft may be zipping along at a breathtaking 35,000 mph, but they still will take many millennia to truly leave the solar system. Voyager 1’s course could take it close to another star in some 40,000 years, while Voyager 2 won’t get close to another star for some 300,000 years, according to NASA.
What happens when we travel further away from our Solar System?
If we travel further away, and look for even more distant objects, then suddenly we run into a proliferation of stars within our own galaxy which are ‘up’ above the plane of our solar system.
How fast does a spacecraft need to travel to explore the Solar System?
If you wanted to escape the Earth’s gravity and explore the Solar System in the regular old way, you’d need to add about 10 km/s in velocity to your spacecraft. But for straight up, you’d need about 30 km/s, meaning more fuel, and compromises to your payload.
Is it possible to escape the Solar System?
There are a number of ideas for how we could finally escape our solar system, including fusion rockets, which are being perused by a NASA-funded company. However, radiation from these would probably be too toxic to carry humans.
Do we need to go “up” in the Solar System?
Actually, we do. We’re going “up” again very soon. It’s good to go up. It’s always good to get outside of our regular stomping grounds and see our Solar System from new angles and perspectives. If you could send a probe anywhere in our Solar System, where would you choose?