• MNByChoice@midwest.social
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    5 months ago

    The space beacon doesn’t have to be far out. Just far enough no one nukes it in WW3.

    The FTL civilization will likely notice a radio signal from within our solar system.

    • leisesprecher
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      5 months ago

      You’re looking the wrong way, literally.

      It’s not about us being found by another civilization, it’s about a sleeper ship being forgotten by us.

      • MNByChoice@midwest.social
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        5 months ago

        I want a future FTL capable Earth civilization to find the sleeper ship. The Earthlings are likely to notice a radio signal within our solar system as they build up for FTL.

        We can forget all about it. The beacon will be attractive to them.

        • leisesprecher
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          5 months ago

          What are you talking about?

          A ship travelling to another star system will not fly as slow as Voyager and will be well outside of the solar system within decades. What kind of beacon do you think would be strong enough to ping continuously, for 3000 years, at increasingly high energy levels? We’re talking megawatts of power.

            • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              5 months ago

              Beacons don’t have to move.

              often they don’t, that’s where the term beacon comes from. Saying that they don’t have to is a little wrong, since it’s probably more accurate to state that “they don’t have to stay stationary” instead.