> A rocket supplied with energy beamed from a space power > transmitter should get as much momentum reaction from its > fuel mass as possible so relativistic beams are suitable > here if the accelerator is very light. The power > transmitter can send out relativistic particle beams > rather than light.
It may work but if power is to be beamed from a power station then light seems better to me. Install a powerful laser source on the Moon and point it to the ship's solar sail. Same thing on Mars for the return trip. Or maybe an array of station-based solar reflectors pointed at the sail, the good old Archimedes way, would work too. This kind of stuff has probably been thoroughly researched already. Michel ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <vortex-l@eskimo.com> Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 5:43 AM Subject: [Vo]: Rocket Ideas >A fusion power source converts only a small percentage of > mass into energy so there may not be enough energy to > accelerate all the fusion reaction products to > relativistic speeds anyway. This suggests a plasma rocket > engine which would have good thrust with adequate Isp, > specific impulse. Extremely hot exhaust would be ejected > through a magnetic nozzle. > > An antimatter fueled rocket would contain a lot of energy. > The antimater needs to be synthesized from other energy > sources. A lightweight particle accelerator producing > relativistic thrust from a small amount of mass would be > appropriate here. > > A rocket supplied with energy beamed from a space power > transmitter should get as much momentum reaction from its > fuel mass as possible so relativistic beams are suitable > here if the accelerator is very light. The power > transmitter can send out relativistic particle beams > rather than light. The momentum of the matter beam may not > be captured well by a thin sail, radiation may be > generated, and the sail may disintegrate rapidly. A sail > with aligned pores open to the impinging beam may work > well. > > Maybe the spacecraft could use part of the drive out beam > to synthesize antimatter so antimatter would be created > far away going farther. > > Diode arrays would convert the ambient heat of an > atmosphere into electrical power when leaving a planet or > large moon with an atmosphere. An onboard energy supply is > needed for continued acceleration between the high > atmosphere and low space. Diode arrays would also convert > the reentry heat of a rocket descending through an > atmosphere into retrorocket power. > > Diode arrays may achieve suitcase gigawatt performance > levels. They would convert heat into electricity for > spacecraft propulsion and other needs. Diode arrays can > recycle the losses of fusion reactors so the nuclear > energy produced will appear as net output. > > Aloha, Charlie >
