[jlgreco]

Bring back Project Orion and generation ships to alpha centauri become feasible, just hard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsi...

I don't know of anyone that is seriously looking at Orion anymore though. I suspect that whatever will eventually take us there will be to Orion as the Flying Scotsman is to Hero's Engine.

[qxcv]

A trip to Alpha Centauri would be decidedly intra-galactic; the distance from the Sun to the edge of our galaxy is on the order of 4300 times the distance from the Sun to Alpha Centauri.

[jlgreco]

Yes, calling it "cross" galactic would certainly be stretching the definition of "cross". Though I suppose a "cross country" race is across the "countryside" though not across the country. ;)

[Anon84]

Interstellar?

[javert]

What is the best term for inter-solar-system travel? (Or, is that the best term?)

[jlgreco]

"Interstellar" probably. Between the stars.

[javert]

I agree. I think I actually meant to ask about "intra-solar-system" travel.

[yk]

Judging from the last two space operas i have read, the fashion is sending transhumans on single generation ships ( and playing with internal clocks to manage the subjective boredom).

And there are certainly a few people looking at interstellar travel. A great blog about this is

http://www.centauri-dreams.org/

[jlgreco]

Charles Stross's (HN: cstross) Accelerando has a nice treatment of this.

I think Orion ships are something that we could attempt to start building today though, no need to wait until the singularity.