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Re: Orbit B
- To: KellySt@aol.com, kgstar@most.magec.com, stevev@efn.org, jim@bogie2.bio.purdue.edu, zkulpa@zmit1.ippt.gov.pl, hous0042@maroon.tc.umn.edu, rddesign@wolfenet.com, David@InterWorld.com, lparker@destin.gulfnet.com, bmansur@oc.edu
- Subject: Re: Orbit B
- From: T.L.G.vanderLinden@student.utwente.nl (Timothy van der Linden)
- Date: Fri, 08 Mar 1996 18:47:33 +0100
>Brian
>Random fluxuations from where? Not in my refocusing retro-mirror design.
> Oh no, I just realized something. Even if you refocus the beam down into a
>smaller one via a series of mirrors, it will still have the same energy
>density distortions as the unfocuses beam.
Yes, that's what I meant writing a letter to you earlier this day (I'm still
catching up, only 10 to go)
>By the way. It is possible, as I think you noted earlier this week, that
>the mirror would cause plenty of fluxations in its own write. After all,
>the huge reflecting surface is an ultra-thin sheet that requires tension for
>shape and force from the Sol beam for tension. I see where fluxuations
>would compound on fluxuations. E-GAD! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE!
I always had a more solid retro-mirror in mind. An advantage is that this
way the whole thing doesn't accelerate away like crazy.
>Time for a reality check.
No, I don't want to hear it... damn, I've to read it... ;)
>For this entire light sail idea to work, you 100% HAVE TO assume that the
>beam from the retro-mirror remains steady AND relatively free of
>fluxuations. The Asimov will have to take care of itself and keep its
>posistion dead in the retro-beam. Any mistakes and you have a wrecked sail.
> Unless that can be replaced in a matter of a few days, your crew is going
>to have to drop weights (hab shielding mass which is where half of the ship
>mass is minus fuel/RM) and hope that whatever kind of sail you get up before
>slamming into the retro-mirror can take the extra g's of deceleration. Not
>to mention the crew.
Now you did it, you've put us literally down to Earth...
>Question: Why does reality have to bite so hard?
I'm not listening...
>P = Power
>m = Mass
>v = velocity
>c = lightspeed (3E8 m/s)
>
>P = [mc^2/(1 - (v^2)/(c^2))^.5] - mc^2
Hmm, this is the relativistic formula but not for P but for E (energy).
Timothy