Pentagon is looking for someone to build a starship

[lewisipso]

The Defense Department wants to explore strange worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and boldly go where no defense agency as gone before. And they are offering money to help make this plan come true.

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA issued a call for ideas for a study to eventually build a starship, the interstellar travel vehicle mentioned in popular Sci-Fi series like Star Trek. DARPA said 150 competitors offered up private sector ideas, and the agency said some big names were among those interested.

DARPA said the winning idea will receive half a million dollars to "make it so." The winner will be chosen at a conference in Orlando this fall.

Pentagon is looking for someone to build a starship

[Odd]

Ship is the easy part, ethics ruins the fun. Heck old Voyager 1 is "interstellar" at this point as it is leaving our solar system. It'll be awhile before it enters the next and we won't get a telegram when it happens. Fantastically advanced ships will be exploring much further while our fleshy butts will remain on earth.

Say a ship is developed that can travel to the next sol orbital system, with the slight problem of it taking two generations to get there. The volunteer flight crew is healthy, fearless, able and willing to undertake this one way mission. Should we send it? Should we stop it?

[Ducky]

A half mil for what they're looking for is nothing more than a drop in the bucket.

[cajunguy]

A half mil for what they're looking for is nothing more than a drop in the bucket.

Especially if you realize that the FA/18 Hornet fighters that the Navy and Marine Corps fly cost around $40 million - - - EACH.


.

[Xiphos]

The origins of the Internet and a lot of other cool crap starts in DARPA. If anyone is going to find the people to invent Warp Drives or Hyperspace it's these guys.

[lewisipso]

Ship is the easy part, ethics ruins the fun. Heck old Voyager 1 is "interstellar" at this point as it is leaving our solar system. It'll be awhile before it enters the next and we won't get a telegram when it happens. Fantastically advanced ships will be exploring much further while our fleshy butts will remain on earth.

Say a ship is developed that can travel to the next sol orbital system, with the slight problem of it taking two generations to get there. The volunteer flight crew is healthy, fearless, able and willing to undertake this one way mission. Should we send it? Should we stop it?

Send em.