How close is mankind to being able to send people to other star systems?
445790
there is a design for a "starship" that IS theoretically feasible.\n\nit is known as the "Bussard RamJet" and you might look it up in the wikipedia.com ( it is also mentioned in Carl Sagan's "Cosmos".)\n\nthis ship can theoretically travel at 10 % the speed of light ( i.e 18,600 mi/sec .)  it is technically possible to build it NOW if the motivation ( and funds) existed.  \n\nif you traveled on this ship, "relativistic effects" would slow your aging in comparison with the earth.  In other words, when you return, hundreds of years may have elapsed in relation to only a few of your own.  because of this, any trip must be considered "one way" in the social sense.  \n\nto answer your question,  the technology is here but no one is trying becuase the time paradox is too real.  besides, we wouldnt know where to go anyway.  ( it would be hit or miss ).  the landing part is quite simple.... the hard part is getting there !
306697
I think, barring an "extinction level event" (i.e. large planet-killing meteorite, nuclear holocaust, etc.) human nature impels us to explore.  As our technology advances we will expand outwards, first to orbit and the moon and eventually out into the solar system.  Sooner or later, even the solar system will start to feel small, and people will begin to look toward nearby stars.  What obstacles we may encounter are left to the imagination, but, unless something stops us before we get established in space, it will be difficult (if not impossible) to keep us from expanding across the galaxy...there are no limits.
785087
We cannot leave our solar system until we figure out how to travel at much higher speeds than we can now.  Even if we could travel at 1/2 of light speed, it would still take 8 years to get to the nearest star.  The crew would have very little to do during the voyage.  And, they'd have to carry supplies for the 16-year round trip.  The ship would be enormous -- certainly larger than anything we have ever built.\n\nUntil we can find a way to travel at speeds faster than light, we will not be able to visit other star systems.
72063
They already do. Do you mean, inter-planetary flights? And if so, how far away? Pluto? Nuh-uh. Mars? Not necessarily a bad idea. It all depends on how far away the mission crew is to be sent, and how long the duration of the journey is to be. If the crew were to find themselves in an emergency, they would of course have to be more resilient and capable of quick thinking because Houston would not be of any help to them.
515664
Our galaxy the Milky Way contains about a hundred billion stars, there are billions of galaxies out there. I think man would be presumptious to the extreme if he believed he were the only intelligent life to exist in all of creation. I am sure with all the advances in technology, that within twenty years a signal will be picked up, that unmistakeably answers your question: We Are Not Alone!
596996
Out of 10,000 Billion Galaxies out there. No Doubt there is something out there.\n\nEarth will contact something...but not in our lifetimes.\nI even believe there is another planet like ours out there somewhere.\n\nWe would be very naive to think we are the only intelligent planet in the entire Universe.
176434
Radio signals are probably the only way and that is a slim hope. Most people can comprehend that there are plenty of opportunities for life to evolve elsewhere in our universe(it may even be quite plentiful). What most people don't grasp is the sheer magnitude of the distances between these other worlds. the next closest star is Sirius and travelling at the speed of light it would take 4.3 years to traverse the distance between here and there! Oyher stars are at MUCH greater distances. So I am afraid that the only contact we will ever have with an extra terrestrial race is by radio waves and even that is unlikely.
1086035
This question  has been asked before, hasnt it? Sounds familiar.\n\nSpace is never ending, you can leave the Milky Way and you will enter another galaxy, depending on where ure exit point is.
429749
With the nearly infinite number of stars out there, it is reasonable to expect that life has developed on another planet. However, we won't know for sure until we actually encounter that lifeform, and that may be a long way off.
491273
Right now, we're not even close to faster-than-light (or FTL) travel.  All out traveling has to be done at less than the speed of light, so most stars are farther away than we can get to.  Even at half the speed of light (which is far faster than we can travel) it would take 8 years to reach the nearest star, not counting the Sun.  (Not to mention 8 more years to get home afterward!)  Nothing can move faster than the speed of light, so our best hope is to do just like they do on Star-Trek.  The found a way to bend spacetime to get to distant stars without actually moving through normal space, which had less of a curve.  Nobody has any idea how to do that now, so we just have to keep expanding our understanding of science until we do.  Until then, I think our best bet on meeting intelligent extraterrestrial life is to hope for them to come to us!
25904
The next nearest star to earth (after the sun) is Proxima Centauri.\nWhat's really scary is that it would take you 4 years, travleing at light speed, to reach that star(space ships only travel 5 mi. per sec.) so in other words we aren't getting there any time soon. Hope this helped.
407975
Very little chance, considering most life will not exist outside our solar system from the huge heat of the planets.\n\nOHANDPOSTINGINCAPSLOCKSWITHNOSPACESMAKESYOUREALLYMATUREIMSUREYOUHAVEAHOTGFANDARETOSEXYFOREVERYONEHERE!!!
973173
There are more stars than we can count.  Most of them have planets.   Most of those planets have moons.
412196
Not in our lifetime.  It takes 1,500 years for it to complete its eliptical orbit between our Sun and a dead sun outside our galaxy.  We have a better chance meeting helpful space visitors before planet X will return.
1180333
All we have to do is survive long enough to expand into space. I think if we did that, it would be hard for anything to stamp out all the pockets of humans around. Especially if we could figure out how to not die as individuals.
406483
Not in our lifetime but in a million years, maybe.  It all depends on our evolution and the understanding of Universal Laws.  We have to be more spiritual as a people to care for life both human and the planet.  As we evolve at a more mature, responsible, and evolved rate, we can belong to the Cosmic Family from other worlds.  Together, worlds can achieve the advances for deep space travel.  There are many dangers out in space we are not aware and must have the cooperation of our Cosmic Family......Hope this helps.
483445
This is not possible yet .. maybe in the future for spaces, but not right now.