# Who wants to explore the galaxy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 8, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674 "2014-12-08T17:42:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/61 "2014-12-10T09:00:48Z")
Sorry, no, not leaving my kids for two years. Pity, an exploration ship like that could have used a Planetologist. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/62 "2014-12-16T19:13:47Z")
If I could bring my 6-yr old son along as a Midshipman, sure! Hey, it worked for the Royal Navy šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/63 "2014-12-16T20:29:42Z")
I donā€™t see the downside. Son is grown, he can take care of the pets till we get back. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/64 "2014-12-16T20:38:00Z")
Iā€™m ready to go. I take it two years is the minimum? The grands will be at least 9 & 6 when I get back, lots of pictures and stories to share with them. I might even bring them back souvenirs. Maybe just a couple of tribbles. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/65 "2014-12-16T21:11:26Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > Iā€™m ready to go. I take it two years is the minimum? The grands will be at least 9 & 6 when I get back, lots of pictures and stories to share with them. I might even bring them back souvenirs. Maybe just a couple of tribbles. šŸ˜‰ [ridiculously overthinking OP mode] Two years is the plan. Suzieā€™s cautious, so it might be less. If fuel, air, water, food, or coolant stores fall below 60% before the one-year-mark, sheā€™ll turn around and go home. [/ridiculously overthinking OP mode] ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/66 "2014-12-16T21:14:44Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > ā€¦when I get backā€¦I might even bring them back souvenirs. On this trip thats a mighty big assumption youā€™re making šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/67 "2014-12-16T21:19:48Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > On this trip thats a mighty big assumption youā€™re making šŸ˜‰ Everybody but me (and you, I guess) seems to be making that assumption. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/68 "2014-12-16T21:22:34Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Everybody but me (and you, I guess) seems to be making that assumption. šŸ˜ƒ Prepare for the worst and hope for the best šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/69 "2014-12-16T23:10:31Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Wait. \*Somebodyā€™s \*gonna die? Why? > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Saying it so definitely is probably hyperbole, but it seems more likely than not that such a voyage as Suzie plans would lead to at least one fatality. Even taking into account the huge speed the Dawn Treaderā€™s will be travelling, itā€™s travelling an ungodly distance into territory that for all practical purposes is uncharted, with no possible help from home and no likely help from anyone on the way. I donā€™t care how smart Suzie is; she hasnā€™t the data to anticipate all possible dangers. > > Iā€™d go on this voyage if I were single, but nonetheless Iā€™d be hugely surprised if nobody got killed. I didnā€™t point that out in the OP because it seemed so obvious as to be like saying, ā€œWith a shipā€™s company of 34, there will be a need for more than one bathroom.ā€ Wonā€™t be me because: a) Iā€™m now indispensible thanks to what I learned from the library, b) Iā€™m not packing any red shirtsā€¦ šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/70 "2014-12-17T02:03:56Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > Iā€™m ready to go. I take it two years is the minimum? The grands will be at least 9 & 6 when I get backā€¦ Hmmm. Is relativistic time distortion gonna be a problem? Exhibit A: _Interstellar_. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/71 "2014-12-17T03:23:23Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Hmmm. Is relativistic time distortion gonna be a problem? Exhibit A: _Interstellar_. I think the OP says the Suzieā€™s tesseracts drive sidesteps time dilation. Sheā€™s basically built a Bakula-ers Enterprise. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674/72 "2014-12-17T03:31:01Z")
I would find it really difficult to overcome the persistent feeling that I needed to stay behind for the kids or my mum. But the kids are adults and Mum can turn to them if she needs something and I would regret it every freaking second if I didnā€™t go, so to hell with it. Now give me a few minutes to send my boss an email resigning, transfer enough money to my daughter to be able to pay the bills for 2 years and Iā€™m out of here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-to-explore-the-galaxy/706674.md?page=3)