COSMIC SHIPS

About the Book

This book is the first volume of a series of books on truly extreme relativistic rocket flight scenarios and techniques. Accordingly, velocities are anticipated to be limited only by the speed of light. As such, Lorentz factors are contemplated for which the velocities of the conjectured craft are quantum-mechanically indistinguishable from the speed of light. The author also delves into scenarios for which the spacecraft may actually attain the velocity of light in a true sense thus realizing infinite Lorentz factors. In reality, the examples and scenarios provided herein border on metaphysics and so the content of this book is also meant to be somewhat mystical and philosophical so as to appeal to cutting edge theoreticians and those looking for content that may have relevance for future cosmic eras to follow.

About the Author

I have been a science author and interstellar propulsion researcher for about 8 years now. I became really hooked on the interstellar travel theme after responding to a thread on Paul Gilster's Tau Zero Centauri Dreams website about 11 years ago and received a very warm welcome from Paul. At that time, I knew I was destined to become seriously involved in this exciting field of research. My love of interstellar travel had its genesis in my childhood. Through most of my elementary school age years, I was a shy kid but one who was far from the stereotypical reserved nerdy geek. My grade school report cards where generally good but where far from the straight A cards that the academically focused students would receive. I had a very personal dream, however, that motivated me to get through the often boring school days. This dream is that for an unbounded future of human interstellar space-flight. My infatuation with manned space exploration began early in grade school, fueled by the Apollo Space Program and lunar landings and the promise of manned missions to distant planets in the not-so-distant future. It seemed as though by the 1980s, we would definitely be sending humans on Martian exploratory missions. My interest in manned space travel waned a bit during the late 1970s through the mid-1990s, but picked up again after I had read a book on real world potential interstellar travel methods based mainly on known and well established physics.