According to our current understanding of physics, it is not possible for spaceships to travel faster than the speed of light. The theory of relativity, developed by Albert Einstein, suggests that as an object with mass accelerates, its relativistic mass increases, requiring more and more energy to continue accelerating. As an object with mass approaches the speed of light, its relativistic mass becomes infinite, and it would require an infinite amount of energy to propel it to or beyond the speed of light.
Moreover, the theory of relativity also predicts that as an object with mass accelerates, its length contracts in the direction of motion and time dilation occurs, meaning that time slows down for the object in motion relative to an observer at rest. These effects become more pronounced as the object approaches the speed of light. So even if we could somehow generate enough energy to approach the speed of light, time dilation would make it extremely challenging to travel vast distances in a reasonable timeframe.
In science fiction, shows like Star Wars and Star Trek often employ fictional technologies or concepts, such as warp drives or hyperspace, to bypass the limitations imposed by the speed of light. While these concepts make for entertaining storytelling, they do not currently align with our understanding of physics.
However, it's worth noting that scientific understanding is constantly evolving, and future breakthroughs may reveal new possibilities or theories that challenge our current understanding of the universe. So while faster-than-light travel remains purely speculative at this point, it's always exciting to explore the frontiers of scientific knowledge.