>>9968767We will have to, if we want to insure the continued existence of our species to the point at which we evolve to a state that we are no longer the present species that we are today.
By that, I mean, there will always be a risk of extermination of all KNOWN life from natural, or manufactured causes. Unless we become an interplanetary, and given enough time, hopefully interstellar.
The issues with the whole affair are the relatively short duration of current human lifespan, although this will hopefully be extended with the means of things like SENS, and nanotechnology assisted cryogenics or some form of hibernative medicine.
Then you have the issue of resources, power, nutrition and other things. This could be combated by a larger craft, with renewable resources onboard, like a hydroponic greenhouse. Although, this would mean that we would require to build such crafts in space, and launch them from space, due to their mass. It is also likely that they would need some sort of synthetic gravity to develop properly, so we would need to make use of rotating space habitats.
The major issue is velocity, initial G force from acceleration can be combated by cryogenics, but the issue of debris, or interstellar hydrogen is what poses a major risk to the craft. At 50% of C, if you struck the hydrogen it would decay into radiation which would then penetrate the craft at 95% of C, this would kill plants and damage equipment.
To combat this, you would either need to travel slower, meaning longer spent in cryogenic preservation. Or using some sort of magnetic field to repel it.
However, this leaves the question of debris, like meteoroids. The solution to which is probably a materials science issue, as "force fields" seem unlikely.
And then, finally, I suppose the ultimate issue is what you find at the end. Whether the planet you've spent thousands of years, or longer, traveling to is even inhabitable or not. For that I'd say, come prepared for any eventuality.
