Sleeper ship
Encyclopedia
A sleeper ship is a hypothetical type of manned spaceship
in which most or all of the crew spends the journey in some form of hibernation
or suspended animation
. There is currently no known technology that allows for long-term suspended animation of humans.
The most common role of sleeper ships in fiction is for interstellar travel
, usually at slower-than-light speed. Travel times for such journeys could reach into the hundreds or thousands of years, making some form of life extension
such as suspended animation
necessary for the original crew to live to see their destination. Suspended animation
is also required on ships which cannot be used as generation ship
s, for whatever reason.
Freezing the astronauts would probably involve whole body vitrification, and they would most likely be frozen at 145 Kelvin
to reduce the risk of fracturing.
Suspended animation can also be useful to reduce the consumption of life support system
resources by crew members who are not needed during the trip (and also to an author as a plot device
), and for this reason sleeper ships sometimes also make an appearance in the context of purely interplanetary travel
.
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
in which most or all of the crew spends the journey in some form of hibernation
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
or suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
. There is currently no known technology that allows for long-term suspended animation of humans.
The most common role of sleeper ships in fiction is for interstellar travel
Interstellar travel
Interstellar space travel is manned or unmanned travel between stars. The concept of interstellar travel in starships is a staple of science fiction. Interstellar travel is much more difficult than interplanetary travel. Intergalactic travel, or travel between different galaxies, is even more...
, usually at slower-than-light speed. Travel times for such journeys could reach into the hundreds or thousands of years, making some form of life extension
Life extension
Life extension science, also known as anti-aging medicine, experimental gerontology, and biomedical gerontology, is the study of slowing down or reversing the processes of aging to extend both the maximum and average lifespan...
such as suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
necessary for the original crew to live to see their destination. Suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
is also required on ships which cannot be used as generation ship
Generation ship
A generation ship is a hypothetical type of interstellar ark starship that travels across great distances between stars at a speed much slower than the speed of light...
s, for whatever reason.
Freezing the astronauts would probably involve whole body vitrification, and they would most likely be frozen at 145 Kelvin
Kelvin
The kelvin is a unit of measurement for temperature. It is one of the seven base units in the International System of Units and is assigned the unit symbol K. The Kelvin scale is an absolute, thermodynamic temperature scale using as its null point absolute zero, the temperature at which all...
to reduce the risk of fracturing.
Suspended animation can also be useful to reduce the consumption of life support system
Life support system
In human spaceflight, a life support system is a group of devices that allow a human being to survive in space.US government space agency NASA,and private spaceflight companies...
resources by crew members who are not needed during the trip (and also to an author as a plot device
Plot device
A plot device is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot....
), and for this reason sleeper ships sometimes also make an appearance in the context of purely interplanetary travel
Interplanetary travel
Interplanetary spaceflight or interplanetary travel is travel between planets within a single planetary system. In practice, spaceflights of this type are confined to travel between the planets of the Solar System....
.
See also
- Embryo space colonizationEmbryo space colonizationEmbryo space colonization is a theoretical interstellar space colonization concept that involves sending a robotic mission to a habitable terrestrial planet transporting frozen early-stage human embryos or the technological or biological means to create human embryos. The proposal circumvents the...
- Seedship
- Generation shipGeneration shipA generation ship is a hypothetical type of interstellar ark starship that travels across great distances between stars at a speed much slower than the speed of light...