New Paper Says Aliens Might Slingshot Themselves Off Super-Earths
Ok, so last month, scientists posited the idea that maybe we haven’t met any aliens yet, because they live on a “Super-Earth” sized planet, and gravity there is so strong that it’s prevented them from having a successful space program. But now, a new paper has provided a solution to that problem: a slingshot.
Astrophysicist Michael Hippke, made the astute observation that it would be pretty difficult to launch a rocket from a Super-Earth sized planet, due to its high surface gravity and the extreme amount of power needed to achieve escape velocity.
This came in light of the recent discovery that Super-Earths, or rocky planets around 10 times the size of Earth, are the most common planets in solar systems we’ve observed so far. In fact, scientists believe they’ve just recently discovered one in our own solar system.
These planets would also have thicker atmospheres, shielding the surface from dangerous cosmic radiation and solar activity, creating even more favorable conditions for life to flourish. In short, there’s a really good chance life exists on those planets, and we’ve pinpointed about 1,000 of them.
That’s why scientists want to study them, but if there’s an indirect observation that could rule them out, why waste time? That was the point of Hippke’s observation and it provided a relatively new answer to the Fermi Paradox; if the universe is so vast, why haven’t we made contact with or observed extraterrestrial life?
But now in a riposte to Hippke, a new paper has argued that one way of overcoming such intense gravity would be a slingshot assist to traditional rocket propulsion, otherwise referred to as a tether-assisted space launch system. With a Super-Earth planet, it would require more than double the escape velocity and about 104 times the amount of fuel required to leave Earth. But not if you only need to get half way there…
This hypothetical tether would be attached to what’s described as a “skyhook” rotating with the planet’s orbital velocity. At some point the tether attached to the hook would pause momentarily at a lower altitude, allowing a launched rocket to dock with it, before being flung into orbit. This would save a significant amount of fuel and allow the rocket to use the planet’s gravity as an assist.
This idea seems to piggyback off the concept of a space elevator, although the paper acknowledges that a Super-Earth’s gravity would pull too hard on a space elevators cables to make the idea feasible. The material needed to build a tether that strong has yet to become a reality here on Earth, but scientists working with carbon nanotubes think they may have something soon.
If these hypothetical arguments just sound like sci-fi conjecture, it’s because they are, at least for now. But they could form the basis for future innovations in rocket propulsion, interplanetary space flight, and hopefully, discovering alien life.
Alex R. Howe, the author of this recent paper seems to hint that the concept of a tether-assist could be implemented with modern technology and would be especially useful for interplanetary travel, where fuel weight is such a tricky variable. Will Elon Musk take note?
About the Author
Nordic Aliens: What We Know About These Extraterrestrials
Ancient civilizations around the world have spoken of angelic beings that descended from the sky, sent by God to assist humanity by sharing their spiritual and emotional wisdom with Earthlings. These mythological entities appear to continue their mission to this day, and many believe they are emissaries from outer space, an extraterrestrial species known as the Nordic or Pleiadian race.
What are Nordic Aliens?
The Nordics are an ancient alien species that began appearing to contactees in the 1950s, claiming to be from the planet Venus and later the Pleiades star cluster. Both the origin planet or system of the Nordics is debatable, and it is possible that they wish to keep their true home a secret for security reasons.
Mythology and History
Nordic aliens are also known as Tall Whites and Space Brothers. They are thought to be the angelic beings represented in many religions and ancient civilizations.
Hopi
These peaceful entities are believed to be the True White Brothers, foretold in Hopi prophecy, signaling the end of the fourth age.
Vril Society
While generally seen as a benevolent species, there’s a chance the Vril Society was influenced by the Nordics. Some factions might have deviated from the path of light, aligning with malevolent entities opposing the human race.
Characteristics
Nordic alien descriptions can differ, but the following points provide a consistent overview of their characteristics.
Physical
Nordics are perhaps the most human-like in appearance of all the different types of aliens and closely resemble people of Scandinavian descent. They tend to have reddish to blond hair and green or blue eyes and stand anywhere from 5 -7 feet tall. Some claim that Nordics lack irises and wear contact lenses to blend in when visiting our planet. Many also claim that these beings lack a sense of smell. Nordics are also claimed to be fourth and fifth-density beings.
These descriptions are commonly associated with UFO sightings and abduction phenomena within European nations such as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
They can easily pass as Earthlings and those who have been in contact with this alien race state that their appearance allows them to freely explore our planet.
Modes of Transportation
Nordics are generally observers, sometimes viewing events and contactees from within their spacecraft, which range from spherical to cigar-shaped.
Communication Methods
As a part of the Galactic Federation, Nordics often keep their distance from humanity, communicating telepathically or through dreams.
Intentions on Earth
Many contactees have claimed to receive channeled messages of peace and love from these beings, and much of the information available about the species is obtained in this manner. The Nordics are concerned with the spiritual evolution of humanity and often remind contactees that we are closely related to them, albeit humans are at a lesser development stage.
Notable Abductees
This species is less frequently associated with alien abduction experiences, and when involved in such episodes, there is generally a message of peace and concern relating to the Earth’s wellbeing.
Travis Walton
One of the most notable and intriguing cases of Nordic abduction that occurred in North America was the Travis Walton case.
Walton was working as a logger in Arizona when he came across a hovering alien craft with his lumber crew and was knocked unconscious by a beam of light emanating from the object.
He was taken aboard, where he encountered several types of beings, including a Nordic-like race of tall, white humanoids. The craft released him after five days, and the subsequent story became a news sensation. Walton shared his experiences in his book The Walton Experience, which became the basis for the 1993 film Fire in the Sky.
Billy Meier
Other notable contactees include Billy Meier, a Swedish farmer who claims to have been in contact with the Plejarans, a Nordic extraterrestrial race. Throughout his life – he has photographed, filmed, and been in contact with these beings, delivering their messages of peace and love to humanity.
George Adamski
George Adamski was another early Nordic contactee of the 1950s and claimed to be in contact with a group of Nordic aliens from Venus. He wrote several books on the subject and said that his materials were cleared by the FBI and United States government.
President Eisenhower
It is also rumored that President Eisenhower had a secret meeting with a group of Nordic extraterrestrials who were attempting to convince the United States to disarm its nuclear missile program in exchange for advanced technology. The event is said to have taken place in February 1954 at Edwards Air Force Base under the guise of Eisenhower undergoing emergency dental surgery. It is believed that this meeting did not end with any sort of agreement.
Instead, Eisenhower is thought to have entered into a treaty with the Grey aliens, a pact ensuring that the United States could keep its nuclear arsenal while still receiving advanced technologies from the ETs. In exchange for this technological intel, the Greys would be allowed to abduct and experiment upon the American people without question.
Harmony and Stewardship
The message that seems to follow each encounter with the Nordic species is the importance of spiritual awareness and the stewardship of our planet. According to the Nordics, humans are a closely related species, and the human ascension process involves learning how to overcome our differences to live as one in harmony. Do you think humanity is close to realizing our collective ascension, or do you feel that extraterrestrial intervention is a necessary step in our evolution? Or is this all an intriguing hoax? You decide.
Learn more about extraterrestrials by exploring Gaia’s collection of alien documentaries and docuseries.
