MVSpec SS 2022
Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, University of Heidelberg

The physics of interstellar travel

Lecturer: PD Dr. Coryn Bailer-Jones
Time/place: Summer Semester 2022, 09:15-11:00 Tuesdays, kleiner Hörsaal, Phil.-Weg 12. First lecture: 26 April.

The course looks into the physics of getting an uncrewed spacecraft to the nearest stars, and getting information back to Earth.

Summary

We will examine the application of known physics to the next (very) big step in spaceflight: getting to the nearest stars. This will include classical mechanics and special relativity, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, nuclear and particle physics, astronomy, and quantum mechanics. Topics may include: energy and momentum in central orbits; orbital transfers (Hohmann, slingshot, Oberth effect); rocket equation; space elevator; principles and design of rockets (chemical, fission, fusion, ion, antimatter); relativstic effects of high-speed travel; solar sails (principles and practice); laser sails (including physics of lasers); magnetic and electric sails (in particular for braking at the target star); properties of the interstellar medium (ISM), its impact on spacecraft, and shielding against damage; the ISM/solar system boundary; navigation (esp. using pulsars); communication (radio, optical; Friis transmission equation; basics of information theory); target stars and the science to do there (stellar astrophysics; exoplanets; life); science payloads/instruments; science that can be done enroute (e.g. astrometry, ISM).

Target audience and prerequisities

This course is aimed at advanced undergraduates (5th or 6th semester Bachelor) or Masters students in physics. You need to have successfully completed PEP1-3 (or equivalent), and ideally you will have done an introductory astronomy course.

Quick links

LSF
Registration (PhÜ) will open on 21 Monday March at 12:00 CET and close on 17 April. The number of places is limited and is first come, first served.
If the above link takes you to the login, then after logging in, you can either navigate to the lecture, or cut and paste this link directly.
moodle. The enrollment key will be sent by email after registration closes on 17 April.

Format

I will be using the flipped classroom format: each week, in advance of the lecture (including the first one), students watch video lessons covering one or more topics. The lectures themselves will be interactive, focusing on discussion of the content of the video lessons and the broader subject they cover. Attendance at the lectures is expected. The video lessons and lectures will be in English, but discussions and questions may also be done in German. There will be an exam, probably a written exam, which is just pass/fail (no grades).