The Key to Unlocking SpaceScientists current understanding of the laws of physics tell us that mankind will never be able to travel faster than the speed of light. This galactic speed limiter if you will, severely restricts both the distance humans can travel, and the types of missions that can be carried out. With this restriction, it would take hundreds of years to reach even the closest star system with planets that even remotely resemble Earth. Plus, the logistics of keeping humans alive and healthy on an intergalactic voyage that long are extremely complicated and probably impossible.
So where does mankind's hope lie? Is deep space inaccessible and impracticle for humans to travel to? The answer lies not in scientists current understanding of physics, but in the realization that there is still much to be learned and many mysteries to unlock. Physicists are still exploring the nature of the universe and observing events in space that have no explanation in their understanding of the laws of physics. One good example is that physicists still do not know why gravity exists, it is just there.
It is there, in man's lack of knowledge that hope lies. Just because there is no known way to travel faster than the speed of light, does not mean that we will never find a practical way to accomplish that feat. With the research going on concerning antimatter, the higgs boson, artificial gravity and a myriad of different deep space propulsion systems, the odds of man discovering a way to travel between galaxies quickly, effieciently and safely are increasing. It is just a matter of time.
