Obstacles from interstellar matters and distortion in warp drive superluminal travel scenario

Abstract

We investigate obstacles of superluminal "warp drive" travels from interactions with interstellar matter and from curvature effects. The effect of collision of interstellar dust particles and photons with the spacecraft will all lead to a pressure proportional to the apparent velocity of the spaceship $v_s$. The force exerted on the spacecraft from the curvature effect has two non-trivial components. The radial and longitudinal components scales as $v_s^2$ and $v_s^4$ respectively. The above obstacles become increasingly important when the spaceship travels at high superluminal speeds.