Abstract
This paper introduces the strategic concept of energy debt acquired by interstellar migrations at their destination. For such voyages an energy debt of travel can be calculated, where KE V2 M Travel Population Distance to Destination. In addition, at destination, growth must be initiated to fill the energy and resource needs of the arrivals. A targeted solar system must contain sufficient resources to supply a growth that provides the technological needs of the arriving society and eventually to develop the capability of escaping the system equivalent to that which had been required for the initial launch. Thus, the capacity of the destination to fill the energy debt of the voyage, at a first approximation given by the planetary and solar masses, is a significant factor in the decision to make the voyage. A simple utility ratio, τ, relating voyage time to technological growth time at destination is proposed and two destinations from Earth are considered in terms of this factor. It is proposed that a Kardashev Type II phase of growth results in such a dependency on energy that investing in high resource-use interstellar voyages will be a necessary means by which a technological civilisation can retard consuming its system’s entire carrying capacity. Some practical methods of avoiding the voyage’s energy debt, including in-flight refuelling, fly-by ‘seeding’ scenarios and the potentials of exotic physics or higher dimensional life are discussed and shown to be ineffective. Other classes of exploratory voyages such as the Icarus Project’s Firefly and those using beamed propulsion methods will also be discussed in relation to the utility ratio. Applying this utility ratio to the likelihood of ETI encounters in any form with Humans at their current stage of development leads to the conclusion that alien encounters will be rare and no scenario for current alien activity on Earth is likely to be correct. Keywords: Interstellar Voyage, Energy Debt, UAP, Kardashev
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call