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Interstellar Propulsion Technologies - RANKED! episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 27, 2026 · 31 MIN

Interstellar Propulsion Technologies - RANKED!

from Cool Worlds · host Cool Worlds

Use code coolworlds at https://incogni.com/coolworlds to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan.Many of you wanted me to talk about the different interstellar propulsion ideas out there so we figured a fun way to compare them all would be in a tier list! Today we take a look at 14 different methods proposed to explore the stars. Let us know your rankings down below in the comments.Written & presented by Prof. David Kipping. Edited by Jorge Casas.→ Support our research: https://www.coolworldslab.com/support→ Get merch: https://teespring.com/stores/cool-worlds-store→ Check out our podcast: www.youtube.com/@CoolWorldsPodcastTHANK-YOU to T. Widdowson, D. Smith, L. Sanborn, C. Bottaccini, D. Daughaday, S. Brownlee, E. West, T. Zajonc, A. De Vaal, M. Elliott, B. Daniluk, S. Vystoropskyi, S. Lee, Z. Danielson, C. Fitzgerald, C. Souter, M. Gillette, T. Jeffcoat, J. Rockett, D. Murphree, M. Sanford, T. Donkin, A. Schoen, K. Dabrowski, R. Ramezankhani, J. Armstrong, S. Marks, B. Smith, J. Kruger, S. Applegate, E. Zahnle, N. Gebben, J. Bergman, C. Macdonald, M. Hedlund, P. Kaup, W. Evans, N. Corwin, K. Howard, L. Deacon, G. Metts, R. Provost, G. Fullwood, N. De Haan, R. Williams, E. Garland, R. Lovely, A. Cornejo, D. Compos, F. Demopoulos, G. Bylinsky, J. Werner, S. Thayer, T. Edris, F. Blood, M. O'Brien, D. Lee, J. Sargent, M. Czirr, F. Krotzer, I. Williams, J. Sattler, B. Reese, O. Shabtay, X. Yao, S. Saverys, A. Nimmerjahn, C. Seay, D. Johnson, L. Cunningham, M. Morrow, M. Campbell, B. Devermont, Y. Muheim, A. Stark, C. Caminero, P. Borisoff, A. Donovan, H. Schiff, J. Cos, J. Oliver, B. Kite, C. Hansen, J. Shamp, & R. Chaffee.REFERENCES► Kipping, D., 2024, "The Halo Drive: Fuel-Free Relativistic Propulsion of Large Masses via Recycled Boomerang Photons", JBIS: https://arxiv.org/abs/1903.03423MUSICLicensed by SoundStripe.com (SS) [shorturl.at/ptBHI], Artlist.io, via CC Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) or with permission from the artist.0:00 Tamuz Dekel - Quiet Pull2:55 Joachim Heinrich - Horizon4:17 Joachim Heinrich - Stjärna6:40 Hill - World of Wonder7:46 Chris Zabriskie - The Oceans Continue to Rise8:17 We Dream of Eden - Discovery9:48 Chris Zabriskie - The Oceans Continue to Rise11:11 Hill - Arctic Warmth13:50 Hill - Northern Boards17:25 Hill - Fragile21:02 Hill - The MeekCHAPTERS0:00 Intro1:33 Chemical Rockets3:31 Nuclear Thermal Rockets5:55 Nuclear Pulse8:20 Incogni9:48 Solar Sails12:15 Fission Sails13:05 Laser Sails14:47 Alcubierre Drive15:24 Wormholes16:09 Antimatter17:28 Mind Upload18:02 Negative Mass18:42 Halo Drive19:46 Ion Engine20:32 Bussard Ramjet21:03 Outro22:51 Credits#InterstellarPropulsion #TierList #CoolWorlds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Interstellar Propulsion Technologies - RANKED!

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