According to our current understanding of physics, it is not possible for objects with mass to travel faster than the speed of light in a vacuum. This limitation is described by Einstein's theory of relativity, specifically the theory of special relativity.
One of the key principles of special relativity is that the speed of light in a vacuum, denoted by 'c,' is an absolute constant in the universe. It is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. According to this theory, as an object with mass approaches the speed of light, its mass would increase infinitely, requiring an infinite amount of energy to continue accelerating. Therefore, it becomes impossible to reach or exceed the speed of light.
Additionally, as an object approaches the speed of light, time dilation occurs. Time appears to slow down for the moving object relative to a stationary observer. This phenomenon has been experimentally verified, and it means that traveling near the speed of light would result in significant time dilation. For example, an astronaut traveling at a high fraction of the speed of light for a few years might experience the passage of several decades or centuries when they return to Earth.
These fundamental limitations pose significant challenges to achieving faster-than-light travel. While there have been speculations and ideas in science fiction about concepts like warp drives or wormholes that could potentially allow faster-than-light travel, there is currently no scientific evidence or widely accepted theory that supports these ideas.
In summary, based on our current scientific understanding, it is not possible to travel faster than light. The fundamental principles of relativity and the associated energy and time dilation constraints make it extremely challenging, if not impossible, to achieve such speeds with modern technology.