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Interstellar ark
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{{short description|Conceptual space vehicle for interstellar travel}} {{Redirect|Space ark|the fictional location in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games|Sonic Adventure 2}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} An '''interstellar ark''' is a conceptual [[starship]] designed for [[interstellar travel]]. Interstellar arks may be the most economically feasible method of traveling such distances.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} The ark has also been proposed as a potential habitat to preserve civilization and knowledge in the event of a [[Global catastrophe scenarios|global catastrophe]]. Such a ship would have to be large, requiring a large [[power plant]]. The [[Project Orion (nuclear propulsion)|Project Orion]] concept of [[nuclear pulse propulsion|propulsion by nuclear pulses]] has been proposed. The largest spacecraft design analyzed in Project Orion had a {{Convert|400|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}} diameter and weighed approximately 8 million tons. It could be large enough to host a city of 100,000 or more people. == Thrust concepts == Another concern is selection of power sources and mechanisms which would remain viable for the long time spans involved in [[interstellar travel]] through the desert of space. The longest-lived [[Space probe|space probes]] are the [[Voyager program]] probes, which use [[radioisotope thermoelectric generator]]s having a useful lifespan of a mere 50 years. One propulsion method for a crewed spacecraft could be a fusion microexplosion [[nuclear pulse propulsion]] system (like that proposed in [[Project Daedalus]]) that may allow it to obtain an interstellar cruising velocity of up to 10% of the [[speed of light]]. However, if the ship is capable of transits requiring hundreds of thousands of years, chemical and [[Gravity assist|gravitational slingshot]] propulsion may be sufficient.<ref>R.W. Moir and W.L. Barr (2005) [http://ralphmoir.com/media/jBIS.pdf "Analysis of Interstellar Spacecraft Cycling between the Sun and the Near Stars"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102212601/http://ralphmoir.com/media/jBIS.pdf |date=2 November 2013 }} ''Journal of the British Interplanetary Society'' '''58,''' pp. 332β341</ref><ref>Frederik Ceyssens, Maarten Driesen, Kristof Wouters, Pieter-Jan Ceyssens, Lianggong Wen (2011) [https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1109/1109.5318.pdf "Organizing and financing interstellar space projects β A bottom-up approach"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407112337/https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1109/1109.5318.pdf |date=7 April 2020 }} (DARPA/NASA, Orlando, Florida: [http://100yss.org/ 100 Year Starship conference] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914082843/http://100yss.org/ |date=14 September 2012 }})</ref> == Specific proposals and research projects == The [[Enzmann starship]] proposed in 1964 is a large fusion-powered spacecraft that could function as an interstellar ark, supporting a crew of 200 with extra space for expansion, on multi-year journeys at subluminal speeds to nearby star systems.<ref name="ridpath78">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REEIAAAAIAAJ&q=Enzmann+starship |first=Ian |last=Ridpath |title=Messages from the stars: communication and contact with extraterrestrial life |year=1978 |publisher=Harper & Row |isbn=9780060135898 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231165546/http://books.google.com/books?id=REEIAAAAIAAJ&q=Enzmann+starship&dq=Enzmann+starship&hl=en&ei=d5LmTOfOGIP_8AbYpLWvDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CEkQ6AEwCQ |archivedate=2013-12-31 |quote="As long ago as 1964, Robert D. Enzmann of the Raytheon Corporation proposed an interstellar ark driven by eight nuclear pulse rockets. The living quarters of the starship, habitable by 200 people but with room for growth ..."}}</ref> In 1955 [[Project Orion (nuclear propulsion)|Project Orion]] considered nuclear propulsion for spacecraft, suitable for deep space voyages. In 1973β1978 [[Project Daedalus]] was conducted by the [[British Interplanetary Society]] to study uncrewed interstellar spacecraft. ==See also== *[[Generation ship]] ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20020305234814/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/02/0220_0220_wirelifeinspace.html News article] *[http://lifeboat.com/ex/space.habitats Lifeboat Foundation] {{DEFAULTSORT:Interstellar Ark}} [[Category:Science fiction themes]] [[Category:Space colonization]] [[Category:Hypothetical spacecraft|Ark]] [[Category:Interstellar travel]] [[Category:Fictional spacecraft by type]]
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