| From : |
Eric |
| Date : |
2003-07-07 11:06:25 |
| Subject : |
Re:ammount of free particles in space |
Bruno,
You are correct about even puny thrust allowing high top speed, but the acceleration will be almost nothing compared to a fusion rocket. I believe the one ion engine nasa launched only produced .18 grams of thrust What you must also consider is that a ion ramjet needs a massive amount of fuel to fuse and then generate electricity for the electromagnet, and to add to the ion speed. It would not be that efficient if you wanted to go to mars, but if you wanted to go to another star, the acceleration would not be too bad considering top speed. But still fusion rockets could get you there much faster and much more efficiently.
Not only do you have to worry about the massive amounts of radiation emitted by the magnet, but also normal radiation. At near light speeds radiation will blue shift thus giving it a higher perceived frequency. This turns all kinds of normally non harmful radiation into serious problems which would require massive amounts of lead to shield the passengers and equipment. Until we figure out how to compress the fabric of space or other such "sci-fi" methods we probably wont get to far in the universe.
Eric
Bruno Ogorelec wrote :
>Eric,
>
>But of course! Interstellar ramjet is something the entire humankind can't muster right now. We are not talking enthusiast's engines here.
>
>Your figures are daunting, but they don't have to mean much. First, you can have your drive at some considerable distance from your craft. There's plenty of space in space. So, the field can be kept well away from passengers and cargo.
>
>Second, you really need only very moderate, even puny, thrust because it will be constant. Do some arithmetics with _constant_ acceleration. It is a fantastic thing, like compound interest.
>
>It is so much better than your notion of getting to a high speed and then coasting. That way, you always remain slow. With constant thrust, you just climb asymptotically towards lightspeed.
>
>Nothing else we know about will give you that.
Bruno |
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Re:ammount of free particles in space
( 2003-07-07 11:06:25)