Using the engines today how long will take humanity to reach earth like planets?
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$\begingroup$ Using what engines? $\endgroup$– HDE 226868 ♦Commented Aug 25, 2015 at 17:33
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HD 219134b is apparently closest "super earth"; 21 light years away. New Horizons, our speediest yet, is currently running at about 15 km/sec relative to the sun. At 9.46e12 km/lightyear HD 219134b is 2e14 km away At 3.16e7 seconds per year, New Horizons will travel about 4.74e8 km/year. 2e14/4.74e8 = 422000 years.
HD 219134b isn't even a very good earth; gravity is too high.
answered Aug 25, 2015 at 15:23
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$\begingroup$ Apparently new horizons will eventually start to loose momentum to about 13 km/s? $\endgroup$– cstruterCommented Aug 26, 2015 at 7:53
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1$\begingroup$ @cstruter Yes, of course. New Horizons is still well under the gravitational influence of the sun, and will continue slow for some time. I picked its current velocity as an estimate of a speed near the best we can currently do, not an immutable constant. I doubt New Horizons is even headed towards HD 219134b. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 26, 2015 at 9:45
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$\begingroup$ Current spaceships need to go much faster than 15 km / sec. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 26, 2015 at 10:25
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$\begingroup$ Voyager 1 is travelling at 17km/s $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 3, 2023 at 7:40