Solar panels on *interstellar* spaceship

[Renergy]

Just crossed my mind that installing solar panels on interstellar spaceship - which spends most of travel time in dark interstellar space - does not make a lot of sense.

 

[Whelkman]

Makes about as much sense as having the technology to move the spaceship at 0.17c by discovering plastics and robotics.

The fastest object we've ever launched into space are the Helios probes orbiting the sun, which used the sun's gravity as an acceleration source. The orbital velocity of Helios 2 is 70 km/s, or 0.000234c. At that rate it would take over 18,500 years to reach Alpha Centauri.

I think Voyager 1 is still the fastest interstellar spacecraft and it goes 17 km/s, making for a journey of some 76,500 years.

 

[Mize]

Also, it looks cool, like a giant interstellar steel spider bearing her planet-devouring eggs off to another world ripe for the taking.

 

[Whelkman]

That's hilarious. I never looked at it like that.