Blueprint for Interstellar Travel
by
Paul Kirsch
First American Edition 2015
Published in the United States by Firelight Press, Santa Barbara, CA
Copyright (c) 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016 Paul Kirsch
ISBN 978-0-9778799-1-5
Second American Edition 2017
Published in the United States by Teardrop Deep Space, Santa Barbara, CA
Copyright (c) 2017 Paul Kirsch
ISBN 978-1-5439108-2-7
www.blueprintforinters.wixsite.com/travel
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright owner.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Scientific Advisors
Gary Braun, Ph.D., Matthew Geiger, B.S. Edward Halerewicz, Jr, Michael Miller, Doug Starfield, M.E.E, M.A.E, Duy Vo, M.S.
Artwork
Cover Artwork by: Peter Allen
Illustrations by: Paul Kirsch, Luca Oleastri, Monica Pessino, Devyn Samara, Molly Thomson
Photography
Minhie Lee
Editor
The author would like to thank Kelly Fuller-Blue for her editorial input on portions of the book.
The author would like to thank the Millay Estate for permission to use a portion of Renascence by Edna St. Vincent Millay
and
WW. Norton for permission to use excerpts from Space Chronicles Facing the Ultimate Frontier
by Neil deGrasse Tyson
The author would like to give special thanks to Mr. Mark L. McWilliams for his friendship and generous support in making this book available to a wider audience.
Part of the popular definition of the word space is, for example to go into earth orbit. Well, earth orbit can be low as two hundred miles above earths surface. Thats the distance from New York to Boston. My interest in space goes vastly beyond that- to galaxies, black holes, the Big Bang. Now if we had ways to travel that far, sure, sign me up. Visit the Andromeda galaxy? Im ready to leave tomorrow. But we dont have a way to do that yet, so Ill sit back and wait for that to come.
- Pg. 57
Neil deGrasse Tyson Space Chronicles Facing the Ultimate Frontier WW Norton 2012
I got angry with America, because advancing is not just something you do incrementally. You need innovation as well, so that you can achieve revolutionary, not merely evolutionary advances.
- Pg. 208
Neil deGrasse Tyson Space Chronicles Facing the Ultimate Frontier WW Norton 2012
I, for one, want to live in a nation that values dreaming as a dimension of the spending. Most if not all of those dreams spring from the premise that vast discoveries will transform how we live.
- Pg. 228
Neil deGrasse Tyson Space Chronicles Facing the Ultimate Frontier WW Norton 2012
This cosmic perspective is spiritual- even redemptive, not religious.
- Pg. 260
Neil deGrasse Tyson Space Chronicles Facing the Ultimate FrontierWW Norton 2012
Table of Contents
Infinity
But, sure, the sky is big, I said;
Miles and miles above my head;
So here upon my back Ill lie
And look my fill into the sky.
And so I looked, and, after all,
The sky was not so very tall.
The sky, I said, must somewhere stop,
Andsure enough!I see the top!
The sky, I thought, is not so grand;
I most could touch it with my hand!
And reaching up my hand to try,
I screamed to feel it touch the sky.
I screamed, andlo!Infinity
Came down and settled over me
- Excerpt from Renascence by
Edna St. Vincent Millay -1917
Dedication
In memory of Larry Maurer who brought the dream of the technology for interstellar travel to my attention 30 years ago.
1948-2011
And with special thanks to Michael Miller the source of these many ideas, who labored to teach me as I labored to understand him.
Disclaimer: This text represents the authors understanding and interpretation of Mr. Michael Millers ideas. It may not accurately represent his intent.
Figure 0.1 Authors conceptualization of view from front of interstellar space ship. Passengers view through 3 colored lens that is part of the laser system described in this book.
The date on the display window relates to the 100 Year Starship Symposium of September 30, 2011. Although NIAC (NASAs Innovative Advanced Concept) program may have been the first government support for breakthrough technologies, the NASA/DARPA 100 Year Starship Symposium was the first high visibility, landmark public event in the shift to discuss and fund deep space exploration.
INTRODUCTION
What has intrigued me since the start of this project is the supreme originality of the premise; the idea of building a probe that could travel interstellar distances by methods that are without precedent. I have made it my mission to translate what I can of inventor Michael Millers complex ideas (and complex expression of those ideas) into language acceptable to both trained scientists and the lay public and to communicate these ideas to a broader audience.
Talking with Mr. Miller and reading some of his technical manuscripts has opened my mind to the vision of interstellar travel: a vast and pristine landscape of new ideas and extraordinary potentials. There is, for me a spiritual quality to this vision, it is breath-taking in its aesthetic.
What has also fascinated me is that while there are esteemed scientists who write about cosmological theory, and speculate about possible advanced propulsion systems, Michael Miller is working toward the actual development of a craft and to that end he got patents with his business partner, Larry Maurer, both in the US (USP 4, 817, 102) and abroad (Japan 1, 864, 717). He and Mr. Maurer also co-founded a business, Unitel.
I feel the plan I present here is a solid start to the quest for interstellar travel. Yet, the question remains whether these ideas hold up to close scientific scrutiny by minds greater than my own. It may be that the answer is not a resounding No, but neither is it a solid Yes. There are many theories here and a lot needs to be modeled. Rather I see it as a grey area, where with greater refinement and experimental testing, it may come to be and I want to push the refinement as far as I can.
What Motivates the Quest for Interstellar Travel?
I have been asked why I am interested in the possibility of Interstellar travel. Was it an escapist fantasy? Was there something else?
