Even though spaceships like USS Enterprise from Star Trek are still science fiction, scientists have already begun to look for solutions for these vehicles to become reality.
The IXS Enterprise ship will be the spaceship of the future.
Harold White, physicist working for NASA is studying new methods of propulsion, that can allow the building of a warp drive ship, like those ones in science fiction movies. White started in 2012 to design a model of a spaceship like the famous spaceship Enterprise from Star Trek. Now he is working on a new project with the artist Mark Rademaker.
Together, they developed the concept of the spacecraft of the future that will allow interstellar travel. The spaceship imagined by them is very similar to the one from Star Trek. This is the reason it was called IXS Enterprise.
Enterprise will operate using warp bubble.
The strange rings were designed to enable the formation of a warp bubble, to propel the spacecraft into Space. That means an almost instantaneous movement by bending space-time and shortening the distances. This way, the spaceship will not be contradicting the laws of physics formulated by Albert Einstein, according to which nothing can exceed the speed of light. For this project to be possible, White is working on an engine that is based on the principle laid down by the physicist Miguel Alcubierre.
The Mexican scientist said that in theory, space-time can be bent, so a spaceship can travel long distances in a relatively short time, by using these shortcuts obtained using warp bubbles. In a warp bubble, the space behind the spacecraft contracts and the space in front of it expands, so that the ship travels like on a "wave" movement, which allows veryfast travel.
The beginning of interstellar travel.
With this technology, IXS Enterprise could reach the Alpha Centauri star in just 2 weeks, according to what White says, and this would be the beginning of interstellar travel. Warp jump would be a smooth, pleasant ride, without any sudden acceleration at high speeds. However, for a warp jump travel to be possible large amounts of energy would be required. This is currently the main problem of interstellar travel.White's plan is still in the stage at present.