Re: RE: starship-design: Timothy's beamed power paper

[Zenon Kulpa <zkulpa@zmit1.ippt.gov.pl>]

> From: KellySt@aol.com
> 
> In a message dated 7/25/97 12:54:35 PM, (Zenon Kulpa) wrote:
> 
> >> From: KellySt@aol.com
> >>
> >> [...]
> >> Note this assumes you can economically replace the plasma mirror mass.  
> >> If you lose to much mass, you wouldn't be able to carry enough  
> >> to sustain the mirror durring the deceleration phase.
> >> 
> >> Oh, note that the mirror plasma will get hot! Probably enough 
> >> to explode outward in all directions. This blast presure might 
> >> be tapable to provide a bit of rocket thrust. 
> >> My gut feel is that woldn't work thou.
> >
> >Of course you can use such heated plasma as a rocked exhaust,
> >why not?
> 
> It being blasted straight forward by the beam.  I'm not sure how the ship
> could tap its reaction for thrust.
> 
Make the arrangement as follows:

Warning: ASCII art follows (use a fixed font to view)
-----------------------------------------------------
      __________
     |          |
     \__        | <-the ring-shaped ship (cross-section)
        \__     |
  <===     \____|
        *        <-----
      * * *   <--------  plasma-producing beam
        *   ____ <-----
  <===   __/    |
      __/       |
     /          |
     |__________|          


   **   exploding plasma
  <==   plasma exhaust

It will just work like a stream-jet engine.


> >>[...]
> >> Since the sail can be any size you want. I scaled it to about 400 times 
> >> the dry weight of the ship. That would let it decelerate from 
> >> about 40%-43%(?) of light speed. 
> >> Giving you a quick trip.  For the ride back you mine more lithium-6. 
> >> Burn it all accelerating back toward Sol. They deploy a
> >> compartivly tiny drag sail to decelerate you down into Sol  
> >> (assuming someone  will turn on the beam again).
> >> 
> >And assuming you will be able to find the beam in the vastness of space...
> 
> Beam is locked in a straight line for the flight duration.  
> If you drift off, you'll know where you left it.
> 
Will there be a nice striped poles along it to mark its course?
More importantly, it will not be straight - as we have calculated 
some time ago, it will veer to the sides by hundreds (or thousands) 
of kilometers every time some of the transmitter maintenance crew 
sneezes or a stray comet wanders nearby..


> >-- Zenon
> >
> >PS. Kelly, what happened to your charming spelling?
> >    I'm rely worrid about yor helth or somthing...  ;-))   -- Z
> 
> Should be worse with me typing these at night in bad light.  
> (desk lamp burned out.)  ;)
> 
Oh, just this is my problem - 
it should be (much) worse, but isn't. 
Why? (wondered Zenon).

-- Zenon