Compendium on Light-Speed Travel

About the Book

This book delves into conjecture on the kinematics and topologies of space-time and Lorentz factors for travel at the speed of light. Many specific scenarios are modeled for spacecraft experiencing infinite Lorentz factors in multiple degrees of kinematic freedom. This book includes propositions for extending special and general relativity in classical manners beyond what is ordinarily considered plausible. So an attempt is made in this book to expand relativity beyond the bounds considered by Albert Einstein. A major theme of this book includes whimsical mathematical examples of travel at infinite Lorentz factors so as to serve as an almost eternally distant beacon that calls us to technological developments, enabling travel ever closer to the speed of light in a vacuum.

About the Author

James Essig’s love of interstellar travel had its genesis in his childhood. Through most of his elementary school-age years, he was a shy kid, but one who was far from the stereotypical, reserved nerdy geek. His grade school report cards where generally good but were far from straight A cards. He had a very personal dream, however, that motivated him to get through the often boring school days. This dream is that for an unbounded future of human interstellar space-flight. His infatuation with manned space exploration began early in grade school, fueled by the Apollo Space program and lunar landings and the promise of manned missions to distant planets in the not-so-distant future. It seemed as though, by the 1980s, we would definitely be sending humans on Martian exploratory missions. His interest in manned space travel waned a bit during the late 1970s through the mid-1990s but picked up again after he had read a book on real-world potential interstellar travel methods based mainly on known and well-established physics. Mr. Essig holds a degree in physics from George Mason University.