How far could a spaceship go if we never ran out of thrust?

Here on Earth, time will continue to pass as normal; it will take millions or even billions of years from our perspective before that spacecraft arrives at its destination. If we never ran out of thrust, we could hypothetically reach anywhere in the Universe that a photon emitted today could reach.

How fast can you go with ion propulsion?

200,000 mph
Spacecraft powered by these thrusters can reach speeds up to 90,000 meters per second (over 200,000 mph). In comparison, the Space Shuttles can reach speeds around 18,000 mph. The trade-off for the high top speeds of ion thrusters is low thrust (or low acceleration).

How fast can a probe travel in space?

450,000 mph
It is about 4.25 light-years away, or about 25 trillion miles (40 trillion kilometers). The fastest ever spacecraft, the now- in-space Parker Solar Probe will reach a top speed of 450,000 mph.

Is it possible to go a million miles per hour?

Spacecraft have been stuck at slow chemical rocket speeds for years and weak ion drive for decades. However, speeds over one million miles per hour before 2050 are possible. There are surprising new innovations with technically feasible projects. Antimatter propulsion and multi-megawatt ion drives are being developed.

Will humans ever travel at the speed of light?

So will it ever be possible for us to travel at light speed? Based on our current understanding of physics and the limits of the natural world, the answer, sadly, is no. So, light-speed travel and faster-than-light travel are physical impossibilities, especially for anything with mass, such as spacecraft and humans.

How do space probes travel so fast?

“The probe will go so fast because it is so close to the sun and is accelerated by the sun’s huge gravity.” Earth orbits the sun at an average distance of 93 million miles. Toward the end of its mission, the Parker probe’s ever-tightening orbits will take the spacecraft within 4 million miles of the sun.

What is a space probe and how does it work?

A probe may operate far out in space, or it may orbit or land on a planet or a moon. It may make a one-way journey, or it may bring samples and data back to Earth.

How fast DO thrusters go on a spacecraft?

Several thrusters can be used on a spacecraft, but they are often used just one at a time. Spacecraft powered by these thrusters can reach speeds up to 90,000 meters per second (over 200,000 mph). In comparison, the Space Shuttles can reach speeds around 18,000 mph.

How efficient are ion thrusters compared to chemical rockets?

Chemical rockets have demonstrated fuel efficiencies up to 35 percent, but ion thrusters have demonstrated fuel efficiencies over 90 percent. Currently, ion thrusters are used to keep communication satellites in the proper position relative to Earth and for the main propulsion on deep space probes.

How much fuel does it take to travel to Deep Space?

Acceleration continues throughout the flight, however, so tiny, constant amounts of thrust over a long time add up to much shorter travel times and much less fuel used if the destination is far away. Deep Space 1 used less than 159 pounds of fuel in over 16,000 hours of thrusting.