Re: starship-design: Re: Laser or maser?

[kgstar@most.fw.hac.com (Kelly Starks x7066 MS 10-39)]

At 7:08 PM 11/2/96, Timothy van der Linden wrote:
>Kelly replied to Kevin:
>
>>MARS question!  How much tonage of electrical cable would it take to carry
>>the amount of power we're talking about?  Could this be a limiting factor?
>
>It may even be that we should start thinking of a direct maser/laser to
>accelerated particle engine.
>For example you'd make a pipe with a small exhaust pipe at one side and a
>window transparant for light on the other side, the particles inside will
>get heated up and flow out through the exhaust end. Of course this needs an
>elaborate mirroring system to get that huge beam into a few small pipes.

Given the power levels were talking about that could vaporize the ship
unless the insulation was perfect.



>>>> Yes maybe, however the drag may be far less than the increased
>>>>efficiency or
>>>> better focusing with a smaller array.
>>>
>>>efficiency will be less with visible light, but focusing will be better.
>>
>>Might be better.  But the optics would have to be more precise.  Slight
>>rippling in the saiol could be more of a problem.
>
>The sail does not have to focus (I hope), so ripples will only bring us of
>course, which could be easely corrected.
>
>Tim


For a MARS system you might need to focus the sail to concentrate the power.

Kelly


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Kelly Starks                    Phone: (219) 429-7066    Fax: (219) 429-6859
Sr. Systems Engineer                                     Mail Stop: 10-39
Hughes defense Communications
1010 Production Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808-4106
Email:  kgstar@most.fw.hac.com
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