A manned space mission to the Sun

[SpaceMarine93]

Suppose that given the current rate of technological advances right now, is it possible that in the future manned mission to the Sun could be possible, like in the movie Sunstorm, within the next thousands of years (assuming we are still around)?

Just a thought.

[the atom]

What do you mean? As in an orbital mission of some kind? I don't see why it wouldn't be eventually possible, although it would be incredibly retarded and risky to send people to begin with.

[SpaceMarine93]

What do you mean? As in an orbital mission of some kind? I don't see why it wouldn't be eventually possible, although it would be incredibly retarded and risky to send people to begin with.

Yeah, low orbital mission. Probably just about skimming the surface of the sun in relative terms. Definitely pass Mercury. I doubt anyone would want to go closer...

[lordofchange13]

That depends...do the crew have to live through the whole mission? the answer is that form technology following known principles as of now it is highly unlikely that a mission to the surface of the sun is possible.

[SpaceMarine93]

That depends...do the crew have to live through the whole mission? the answer is that form technology following known principles as of now it is highly unlikely that a mission to the surface of the sun is possible.

I did suggest within a thousand years into the future. Then again, no one can predict what happens in the future.

But assuming that it is possible. Do you people think it should be done?

[lordofchange13]

That depends...do the crew have to live through the whole mission? the answer is that form technology following known principles as of now it is highly unlikely that a mission to the surface of the sun is possible.

I did suggest within a thousand years into the future. Then again, no one can predict what happens in the future.

But assuming that it is possible. Do you people think it should be done?

if it were possible i do not see any reason why other then for the sake of saying " yo, man i just went to the sun, it was cool"

[Simon_Jester]

Why would you want to?

This sounds more like the subject of a bad joke than a meaningful idea.

[Patrick Degan]

Beyond the idea making for a cracking episode of The Thunderbirds, there really isn't much point. Robot probes can do everything a manned mission could do, for far less cost and with zero risk to a human crew. With a thousand years of technological development, a remote probe of that time would be complex enough to essentially be able to give a ground (or space station) crew the same capability for mission direction and performance as if human beings were actually on site —even given the time-lag in communication.

[FedRebel]

Going to bodies in our solar system that have a surface would arguably take priority

Why send a ship the sun when own can build a 'permanent' Solar observatory on Mercury (it'd get awful toasty, but if you want sunshine that badly )

Though that's pushing it, there are so many rocky bodies in this system with water (unfortunately they're a tad chilly and the water is ice) so it's best to focus on Mars and beyond.

The Sun's just not important enough to go to, unless going blind from 100% pure sunlight, being irradiated like a burrito inside a microwave that's being irradiated by a bigger microwave, and being flash fried by superheated hydrogen is is your idea of a good time.

[Boeing 757]

The OP may find this article of great interest. This probe will approach the sun within a distance of 6.4 million kilometers (in comparison Mercury's perihelion is 46 million km).

It is still a long shot from sending humans virtually right next to the sun, and keep in mind that this probe will not have been launched until some time in 2018--thus some thing could fail in the mean while to end this mission before it begins.

[Sharp-kun]

You'd need International Rescue on standby for one.

[Sea Skimmer]

If you want to go into low orbit around the sun you'd need some really really good method of absorbing or reflecting all the absorbed heat. Shielding the crew against radiation should be possible, enough shear mass will work since the sun mostly just throws out UV and IR radiation and not so many gamma rays, but the intensity of it all is going to boil the ship mighty quickly. I also doubt you'd ever escape that low orbit since anything remotely exposed on the ship will be burned off, and you need massive thrust to escape. No idea if the crew could survive the whole gravity issue directly.