Why Can't We Build a Starship?

Spaceships capable of interstellar travel in any reasonable amount of time are as far beyond our current technology as supersonic transports were beyond the Wright Brothers. However, the limitations of our current technology are vast, and there are numerous challenges that make such a feat incredibly difficult.

The Technological Gap

The obstacles to traveling at extreme speeds – such as lightspeed, which is over 186,000 miles per second – are immense. Our fastest craft currently measure speed in miles per hour. We need to significantly advance our power production technology, gain experience with extreme-distance life support, and develop effective radiation shielding. In addition, space exploration is incredibly expensive, and lobbying politicians to allocate funding can be challenging due to their short-sightedness.

Another point that’s often cited is the lack of profit in such endeavors. Until there is a clear economic incentive, we are unlikely to see significant investment in interstellar travel. Even if there were profits, we might be seeing more developed space colonies and expeditions to other star systems today.

Theoretical Scientific Understanding

The current state of theoretical scientific understanding and the 'laws of physics' makes interstellar travel seem almost impossible. The 'shut up and calculate' era, which has been ongoing for nearly 50 years, has made progress in this field quite stagnant. The realization that light travels incredibly fast, even seeming instantaneous at great distances, highlights the futility of trying to accelerate massive objects to such speeds.

The supernova of scientific achievements that followed the understanding that light has no substance to push or propel would theoretically allow ships to move. However, the mass of ships makes it incredibly iffy whether mass can be propelled to get anywhere close to the speed of light.

Literary vs. Practical Limitations

While the idea of a starship may seem charming in literature and popular culture, the practical limitations make it a near-impossible feat. For example, the USS Enterprise from Star Trek is a sound stage in real life, but building a spaceship with artificial gravity, warp drive, and pointy-eared aliens falls squarely within the realm of science fiction. However, the delays in progress might be attributed to the fact that we’ve been focused on the 'Star Wars' mission (manned space exploration) for at least forty years since Reagan’s inauguration of the program.

These challenges highlight the significant hurdles that stand in the way of interstellar travel and the development of a starship. While dreams of such technological feats are exciting, the reality of the current state of our technological and economic systems makes it a long-term, if not impossible, goal.