To the stars

Interstellar missions are generally regarded as something for the relatively far future, and not even the most ardent and optimistic of space advocates envisage seeing them before the end of the 21st century. Not only does there still remain so much to discover, see and understand within our own solar system, but even the most basic technology to send probes, let alone humans, to the stars is at an extremely nascent stage. Starship technology is to us what jet aircraft technology would be to the first steam engine pioneers. Wormholes, science fiction’s most popular means for interstellar travel, are only a remote, very theoretical possibility.