there is one option that might make a one way trip reasonable although probably not for a "manned" mission.
Bussard Ramjet (see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussard_ramjet)
basically a fusion drive, using the existing hydrogen in interstellar space.
We (the race) can start a fusion reaction - containing it for electrical generation is another matter - BUT it would not be necessary to contain the reaction only direct it.
The ship could get a good boost leaving the solar system, accelerate to max expected velocity (or the halfway point which ever came first), turn around and decelerate to the destination (at an appropriate distance).
Wikipedia claims.16c as a max - total travel at.16c = 20/.16 = 125 years.
It would take longer, depending on the mass of the ship and thrust actually generated, acceleration to and from.16c could take from months (unlikely) to decades.
125 years is a long time - but - robots dont know about time.
This is technically feasible, unlike many other 'interstellar drives' - warp drives, hyperspace etc.
remember:
Interstellar travel is only fast in Speculative Fiction.
Slashdot Mirror
there is one option that might make a one way trip reasonable although probably not for a "manned" mission. Bussard Ramjet (see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussard_ramjet) basically a fusion drive, using the existing hydrogen in interstellar space. We (the race) can start a fusion reaction - containing it for electrical generation is another matter - BUT it would not be necessary to contain the reaction only direct it. The ship could get a good boost leaving the solar system, accelerate to max expected velocity (or the halfway point which ever came first), turn around and decelerate to the destination (at an appropriate distance). Wikipedia claims .16c as a max - total travel at .16c = 20/.16 = 125 years.
It would take longer, depending on the mass of the ship and thrust actually generated, acceleration to and from .16c could take from months (unlikely) to decades.
125 years is a long time - but - robots dont know about time.
This is technically feasible, unlike many other 'interstellar drives' - warp drives, hyperspace etc.
remember:
Interstellar travel is only fast in Speculative Fiction.