It would be ruinously costly to send over a large colonization fleet, and is much more efficient to send over a small payload which builds what is required in situ, i.e. von Neumann probes.
I would disagree on large colonization fleets being ruinously expensive, the best case scenario for large colonization fleets is if we have direct mass to energy conversion, launching say 2 probes from each star system that you spread from. Each probe would use half the mass energy of the star. Converting a quater of its mass to energy to get ~0.5c
You can colonize the universe even if you insist on never going to a new star system without bringing a star with you. (Some optimistic but not clearly false assumptions)
For some destinations, but not for most of them (I’m pretty sure). At least Eternity in Six Hours spends a great detail of time discussing deceleration.
I would disagree on large colonization fleets being ruinously expensive, the best case scenario for large colonization fleets is if we have direct mass to energy conversion, launching say 2 probes from each star system that you spread from. Each probe would use half the mass energy of the star. Converting a quater of its mass to energy to get ~0.5c
You can colonize the universe even if you insist on never going to a new star system without bringing a star with you. (Some optimistic but not clearly false assumptions)
Accelerating a probe to ~0.5c isn’t the biggest issue. It will be much harder to deaccelerate once you are at the target location.
I think the expansion of the universe means you don’t have to deaccelerate.
For some destinations, but not for most of them (I’m pretty sure). At least Eternity in Six Hours spends a great detail of time discussing deceleration.
If you wouldn’t fly faster then a given universe moves, I don’t see how you can ever catch up to the universe.
It’s a question of acceleration, not just speed.