Re: RE: New idea Laser launcher/scoop systems

[Brian Mansur <bmansur@oc.edu>]

 ----------
From: KellySt
To: bmansur; kgstar
Cc: David; hous0042; jim; lparker; rddesign; stevev; T.L.G.vanderLinden
Subject: Re: RE: New idea Laser launcher/scoop systems
Date: Wednesday, March 06, 1996 11:56PM

>From Brian


>Brian
>Cutting in here a second.  How about we make the reaction mass out of maser 

>sails (many heavy (kg weight) starwisps?).  Problem is how to ionize them
>since they are design to reflect light.

>Kelly
>Are you proposeing the laser launcher be replaced with a maser sail system?
>That is not my intention for various reasons.

Brian
My idea was a random thought that I just threw in as a possible prelude to 
an idea.  What reasons did you have for not using maser beams?

>Brian
>I don't know that you'd get the canister up to even
>a %c and the exhaust would be going in the wrong direction.  Unless, of
>course, if you were reversing the direction of the canister so that the
>exhaust would head toward TC.  Am I following you?

>Kelly
>No.  As I showed you should be able to get up to a good % of C.  The
>canisters dock with the ship and offload fuel and are consumed for reaction
>mass.  Thou during return to Sol the canisters are dethonated ahead of the
>ship.

Brian
That's cool!

>Kelly
>Oh, the Explorer Class is not intented for a T.C. flight.  With a top speed
>of maybe 1/3rd C its too slow.

Brian
Alpha Centauri, HO!

>Brian
>I don't see how you are going to catch the canister (I admit that I'm
>skimming some of this since I have to do work very soon here).  I'll have 
to
>reread this idea some more but at least its a new idea.  I still don't see 
a
>solution for slowing down into TC though.

>Kelly
>The Explorer class slows down using fuel carried on board.

Brian
Back to the same old problems again.  Oh well.