Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
Member # 256
posted
Now if we would only turn theory into practice, and apply this technology to make it cheaper, more reliabe, and whatnot, we would be one major step closer to those Marsian colonies.
-------------------- ".mirrorS arE morE fuN thaN televisioN" - TEH PNIK FLAMIGNO
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted
I've always considered Solar sail propultion to be only half of a technology. I mean its all well and good getting out away from the sun, but how the hell are you supposed to get back without using chemical or ion propultion? Since solar pressure only radiates out it means that as you go further out your return journey increaces exponencially. Without cryo or an extreamly efficient life support system it makes interstellar or interplanetary travel a little too difficult. Not to mention the fact that Solar sails are somehat vulnerable to micro meteorites and other space debris, both in strength and in surface area.
posted
Well, since the space program is more of a political thing and they are currently spending all their money on ISS and keeping the Russians in the race, it seems unlikely any form of colonization will happen in the near future. If only the Russians had the money again. They seem to have the most effective space program. They kept Mir operational for 15 years!
posted
As for the return voyages using solar sails, I believe the "tacking into the wind" thing used on earthbound sailing vessels, probably in combination with some chemical propulsion, can be used to get ships back at good speeds.
posted
Tim, I think their point was that this magnetic system is immune to said problems, while the Bajoran-style big-sheets-of-stuff(tm) model isn't.
-------------------- "I was surprised by the matter-of-factness of Kafka's narration, and the subtle humor present as a result." (Sizer 2005)
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Almost to the speed of light while expending grandiose amounts of fuel. According to a sci-fi writer's guide to practical space travel (it's actually pretty good) a ship powered by fusion would require something on the order of 1.6 billion tons of hydrogen propellant for every ton of payload, if it were to travel somewhere close to .9 c.
A ship powered by matter/antimatter reactions on the other hand, would "only" require 20,000 tons of matter and 20,000 tons of antimatter for every ton of payload.
At our current level of understanding, it's impractical to use these methods of propulsion to get near light speed. That's why people look toward other concepts such as solar sails. This magnetic sail is even better, because (according to the same book) interstellar space is pervaded by magnetic fields. They're out there, so use 'em.
[ June 24, 2001: Message edited by: Daniel ]
-------------------- "A celibate clergy is an especially good idea because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism."
Da_bang80
A few sectors short of an Empire
Member # 528
posted
I was reading in a magazine (Popular Science to be exact) that scientists were dreaming up new forms of propulsion. on of them was a large sail that acted like a one way window. Letting particles and energy pass through one side but reflect on the other, creating a very efficient form of propulsion.
They also thought of one that acts like a wodden boat in a bathtub. when you add detergent it changes the surface tension of water and propels the boat. It is called a Bias Drive. and alters the properties of space itself. to reduce gravity on one side to produce thrust. like the bathtub boat.this is all speculation right now. but i decided to include it cause it sound pretty cool.
-------------------- Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I cannot accept. And the wisdom to hide the bodies of all the people I had to kill today because they pissed me off.
posted
Heh. I read that aricle. Very interesting concepts, even though they didn't detail them nearly as much as I would have liked. All coming out of NASA, too, if I'm not mistaken.
-------------------- "A celibate clergy is an especially good idea because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism."
-Eleanor Arroway, "Contact" by Carl Sagan
Registered: Nov 2000
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Da_bang80
A few sectors short of an Empire
Member # 528
posted
yes. NASA, well i wonder what kind of other crazy secrets they got floating around there. it also has an article describing some sort of idea that people walked on north american soil thousands of years before we thought. pretty wierd stuff.
Im trying to get rid of this "junior member" crap, so i can get one of those cool sayings.i think i'm almost there.
-------------------- Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I cannot accept. And the wisdom to hide the bodies of all the people I had to kill today because they pissed me off.
posted
Uh...considering the fact that the earliest generally agreed upon date puts humans in North America somewhere around 16,000 years ago, I'm not sure I see why an extra thousand plus or minus is all that weird.
Registered: Mar 1999
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