Warp drive: how and when?
IO9 has a detailed article with an interview of physicist Harold White, who a few months ago at the 100 year starship symposium, revealed that the energy requirements for an Alcubierre warp drive capable of 2-4 week trip to the closest star system, Alpha Centauri. Here’s a quote I thought was compelling:
[source]“In late 1942, humanity activated the first nuclear reactor in Chicago generating a whopping half Watt — not enough to power a light bulb,” he said. “However, just under one year later, we activated a ~4MW reactor which is enough to power a small town. Existence proof is important.”