[hoc]

That's why we usually end up starting with projectiles instead of ships. Once the drive is ready, someone will take it from you for a few decades to shoot at things.

Impact seems to have a timelined meaning, starting with destruction, then following up with conquering, and exploration coming somewhere before constructive applications at the far end.

As apes we just can't keep holding back till we can build houses or something with it, when we also could just throw that stone at something. Especially before someone else does :)