Space is big. It's a long way to the nearest planet (over 4 light years) which means an 8.5 year round-trip just to send a message and get a response. How do we get round the speed of light? People are working on this. There is a thing called a MEGA drive which theoretically could propel a spacecraft close to the speed of light. This involves a controversial interpretation of Einstein's E=MC2.

Looking up - 19 Sept 2020

Five minutes at the end of each week explores the big and the small questions in astronomy, cosmology, and space science. Hosted by Kechil Kirkham, no subject is too big or too small, and experts are regularly brought on board to illuminate and excite. Cape Town is the place to be for astronomy, with some of the largest telescopes in the world housed or being built not too far away. Looking Up takes advantage of the shoals of scientists and engineers working on the planet’s most advanced astronomy projects, who live and work right here in the Mother City. Kechil has recently acquired an MPhil in Space Studies at the University of Cape Town, and works in South Africa’s space industry on the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope.