Living on a Generation Ship | Unveiled

Living on a Generation Ship

Despite being among the fastest objects ever built by humanity, space shuttles are slow. They’re not nearly powerful enough to truly explore the universe, or even the solar system. The harsh reality is that we may never be able to build the machines needed to practically send people to explore other planets. So, if speed isn’t the answer to interstellar travel, then what is? This is Unveiled and today we’re uncovering the extraordinary truth about living on a generation ship. The universe places a speed limit on matter; the speed of light. That’s a big problem for us because, given how massive space is, it means that most of the stars and planets are out of our reach forever. If an astronaut-carrying ship were to travel to the nearest star at speeds we’re currently capable of for a ship of that size, then everyone on board would have died of old age before arriving. But - and here’s the important part - if that original crew were to have children during the journey, then the next generation could keep on traveling. That’s the idea behind a generation ship - a spaceship large enough to house a group of people that will live and die in transit. But, by allowing future generations to take over, humanity as a whole could survive the long, long stretches of time needed to voyage across space… and one day make it to a distant star system. In theory, a generation ship makes interstellar travel to anywhere possible. These ships are a popular subject in science fiction because of this, but also for a few other reasons. For one, some argue that they could one day be needed. If any kind of catastrophe were to happen to us on Earth - like an extinction or an unprecedented natural disaster - then a generation ship out in the cosmos would survive us… and anyone on board would suddenly become the last of life from this planet. But, even without some kind of Armageddon, proposed generation ships would be on the frontline of our search for new home planets. Right now, we have only a few Second Earth candidates based on brief sightings made by our most powerful telescopes… but reaching any of them is a task that would take hundreds or thousands of years. By the time a generation ship had journeyed to them, then, it will have staged whole eras of human history. But, if the crew members alive at the time of arrival were able to start colonies on other, habitable worlds, then they would have succeeded in spreading humanity across the cosmos. Where generation ships are concerned, it’s a case of playing “the long game”. So, what would a ship like that look like? First, it would have to be massive. As in, almost inconceivably huge. And it would have to house an initial crew of at least 100 to 500 people - ideally more. While estimates on the minimum viable population for humans do vary - that is, the minimum number of people required for long-term survival - 500 is usually held as the lower limit. Life for these 500 would be so far removed from life on Earth, though. It’s thought that human beings would suffer various health issues if they lived in zero or low-gravity environments for a long time… so reliably simulating gravity would be key. It’s another reason why the size of the ship would be so important. Not only would those on board require space to live, but the vessel would also need to be large enough and built in such a way to produce the centrifugal force necessary for sufficient anti-gravity. Even then, the conditions would take some getting used to! For anyone on-board, though, this ship is life. Their long-distance mission may have started with strong links to the Earth it was leaving behind, but those connections would fade over time, and later generations could even grow to forget Earth altogether - living their lives without ever seeing much besides the stars outside and infinite stretches of darkness. Naturally, then, a unique society would form, but one where discipline and order were key. Children growing up wouldn’t have many options for careers - understanding that everything they do should be for the better of the ship. But the idea of “purpose” would likely be passed from generation to generation; the belief that their own seemingly limited lives were allowing for intergalactic exploration. In the event that the ship was actually escaping an Earth in some kind of trouble, then there’d also be the knowledge on board that they had somehow evaded their own planet’s demise. Clearly, tensions could run high… especially given the probable monotony of everyday life. Even if those on board had futuristic ways to change and update the entertainment options available to them - including movies, music and books - being endlessly confined within the same metallic structure, always cast thousands of miles from anything else of note, could have a dramatic impact on a person’s mental health. They’d walk the same corridors every day, speak to the same people every day, and be greeted by the same endless view whenever they passed a window. They say; “variety is the spice of life”, but there’d be precious little variety here! Maintaining the ship’s gardens would be one of the most crucial tasks, seeing as they’d be a source of oxygen, food and a tangible reminder of Earth. In terms of produce, food from the gardens would need to offer big yields that are quick to grow and have a high energy content. In the movie, “The Martian”, the main character opts for potatoes, but other top contenders for space farming include tomatoes and corn. Whatever the case, diet on a generation ship is another aspect of life that would become very predictable very quickly. And it doesn’t get a great deal better when we consider the water that would be available to wash it all down. Water would be recycled in much the same ways as it is for astronauts on the International Space Station - as a filtered product of everyone else’s sweat, urine and wash water. But, if that sounds disgusting, it actually shouldn't - astronaut water is said to be cleaner than what most of us drink on Earth. Other than food, drink the mental strain and the effects of anti-gravity, arguably the most pressing concern for those on a generation ship would be radiation. For NASA, prolonged radiation exposure is one of the chief threats on any prospective deep space mission - let alone a continuous voyage across the universe! On Earth, we’re protected from the effects of radiation by our magnetosphere, but on spaceships as we currently understand them there’s no such cover. In a hypothetical time when generation ships are a reality, perhaps radiation-proofing will have also improved enough to make the ship impenetrable. If it hasn’t, then those inside would be at far higher risk of developing some cancers… and, seeing as high levels of radiation can even damage our DNA, it’d pose not just a risk to the individual but also to the future generations that the mission relies on. Elsewhere, the focus would simply be on keeping the ship running. Engine failures; power outages; damage to the outer walls… they could all prove deadly and could all happen at any moment of any day. Say the means of artificial gravity faltered; everyone and everything on board - from the food to the furniture - would suddenly be scattered. Say the thrusters shut down; an already incredibly long journey just got a little longer… In reality, living on a generation ship would be a round-the-clock job. With so many imminent dangers and potential problems to contend with, even during downtime it’d be impossible to totally switch off from the task at hand - which is surviving. From the moment you were born to the moment you died, you’d be a vital component to a small and unique social set-up suspended in space. There’d be no time for childhood and no option of retirement. By simply existing on the ship you’d be a valuable part of it. The “daily grind” could prove almost unbearable at times… but there’d be little choice but to complete it in the hope that you, your children or your children’s children could one day step off of the ship and onto a brand-new and exciting planet.