Skip to main content

Which sci-fi universe has the slowest extensively used interstellar drive (best available)?



This is sort of the opposite of this question: Which SciFi universe has the fastest space ships (hyperspace technology)?



Since the obvious answer is just wherever there is no technology much more advanced than our own, we need to modify the question.


In order to force a unique answer, the metric we will use is: In which universe, despite having slow drive technology, have people traveled the farthest and spread over the most worlds using non-FTL drive ? The non-FTL drive has to be used because it is the fastest drive available, not for some quirky exceptional case. I.e. no one has FTL.


Obviously teleport-type technologies etc. are not allowed. There is no cheating.



Answer



In Larry Niven's Known Space stories, much of early Human Space was colonized with a combination of two different STL technologies. These were:



  • Ramrobots (automated crewless Bussard Ramjets)

  • Slowboats (large slow fusion powered ships that carry the colonists).


The Ramrobots perform the initial scouting of potential colonies, and can be used to refuel the Slowboats. The colonists are usually held in suspended animation (when stasis fields are discovered in 'World of Ptavvs'). Colonization takes decades of effort.



Using this method the following Known Space colonies are founded:



  • Jinx (Sirius A)

  • Wunderland (Alpha Centuri)

  • We Made It (Procyon A)

  • Plateau (Tau Ceti)

  • Home (Epsilon Indi)


Many of Niven's novels and short stories are set in a time before Hyperdrive with primarily fusion powered reaction drive STL ships. Humankind develop some extremely efficient fusion engines and you get everything from 1-crew Singleships to giant interstellar Slowboats.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

futurama - How much time is lost in 'Time Keeps on Slippin''

In time Keeps on Slippin' , Farnsworth creates a basketball team which he matures by abusing Chronitons. This leads to time skipping forward by random, but ever increasing amounts. How much time was skipped in this way? Answer Unfortunately, I don't think a good estimate can be made for this, for two reasons: Many of the time skips move forward by an indeterminate amount of time. At one point, the Professor mentions localized regions of space skipping forward much more than others. We then see two young boys on the street below complaining about having to pay social security, only to suddenly become senior citizens and start complaining about wanting their money. Thus, each individual could have experienced a different amount of time skippage.
Post a Comment
Read more

What is Tolkien trying to say in this letter?

In a draft of a letter, later recorded as #246, Tolkien makes a strange statement. I am interested in the first few sentences of the letter, but I will include the remainder for the sake of context. In the 'Mirror of Galadriel', 1381, it appears that Galadriel conceived of herself as capable of wielding the Ring and supplanting the Dark Lord. If so, so also were the other guardians of the Three, especially Elrond . But this is another matter. It was part of the essential deceit of the Ring to fill minds with imaginations of supreme power . But this the Great had well considered and had rejected, as is seen in Elrond's words at the Council. Galadriel's rejection of the temptation was founded upon previous thought and resolve. In any case Elrond or Galadriel would have proceeded in the policy now adopted by Sauron: they would have built up an empire with great and absolutely subservient generals and armies and engines of war, until they could challenge Sauron and destroy ...
Post a Comment
Read more

harry potter - What is the difference between Diffindo and Sectumsempra?

In the Harry Potter books, Diffindo is called the 'Severing Charm' and it’s most commonly used to cut ropes and the like. However, in the last book Hermione uses it on Ron but misses, creating a 'slash in his jeans' and his knee gets cut, causing him to 'roar in pain'. We've only seen Sectumsempra used once on screen when Harry directly uses it on Malfoy in the sixth book, but there it's mentioned that he is 'waving his wand wildly'. Wouldn't Diffindo, if used in such a fashion also cause a similar effect? Similarly, if it was able to cut Ron, it would also be able to, say, chop off an ear (George's)? In that case, how are these two spells different, except for Sectumsempra seemingly used exclusively to hurt humans? Answer While Diffindo and Sectumsempra both can be countered by other spells, Diffindo is far more easily countered. Reparo, a relatively common spell, can completely reverse its effect when used once. “He pulled the old cop...
Post a Comment
Read more

harry potter - How could Expelliarmus beat Avada Kedavra?

I want to be very careful about how I ask this question – I am not asking How did Voldemort die? [CLOSED] Below the text is the relevant passages from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows if anyone wants to review them (I'm sorry for the amount of text). How did Expelliarmus beat Avada Kedavra and kill Voldemort? I feel the reason Harry's Expelliarmus overpowered Voldemort's Avada Kedavra curse has to do with who was master of the Elder Wand and how the Elder Wand works. I've always had trouble understanding fully how the Elder Wand works, though. How much did the fact that Voldemort never truly won or mastered the Elder Wand factor into how Expelliarmus reacted to Avada Kedavra and caused Avada Kedavra to rebound and kill Voldemort? An answer based in book canon would be especially welcome, but any canon source really is fine. Harry heard the high voice shriek as he, too, yelled his best hope to the heavens, pointing Draco’s wand: ‘ Avada Kedavra !’ ‘ Expelliarmus !...
Post a Comment
Read more