RE: Another new? idea

[T.L.G.vanderLinden@student.utwente.nl (Timothy van der Linden)]

>>In fact it isn't a mirror anymore, we use a maser collector (analogy of a
>>solar-collector) and convert the whole bunch into electricity. That
>>electricity is that used to power an array of masers, just like the ones at
>>the Solar home base. So then we have a neat non diffusive or divergent
>>retro-beam.
>
>Brian
>Kevin and I briefing wrote about that idea.  I see below in your message 
>that you recognize the problems.  We seem to agree that putting 1E7 masers 
>masers on a sail that converts maser beams to electricity would be a bad 
>idea.  My first reason was because of the power losses in the conversion. 
> My second second was that weight of the 1E7 masers would be too much for us 
>to push, even many a degree of Wattage.  As you comments imply, at least the 
>idea is on the board as a last resort.

Indeed, so far the few alternatives present use energy stored either at the
Asimov or some kind of pathfinder.

>Brian
>We will probably need course corrections to make 100% certain that the 
>retro-reflector stays in the beam.  So we'll probably end up having to put a 
>load of thrusters on anyway.  Bumber!

If the computers of the array detect that the array is moving out of the
beam, they could use some large reflective "flaps" to correct the course. Of
course also a few masers could be used to do that. 

Tim