Re: starship-design: We need to get on the same (pellet) track first

[KellySt@aol.com]

In a message dated 8/18/97 8:44:27 AM, kuo@bit.csc.lsu.edu (Isaac Kuo) wrote:

----
>>>>You suggest the acceleration of a pellet happens almost instantaniously
by
>>>>some plasma expansion. I wonder, won't the launcer blow apart?
>
>>>I didn't specify, but the plasma pusher is pushed forward using
>>>a rail gun design.  Easier to get high muzzle velocities this way
>>>than with other methods.  Compared to a TNT detonation, this is
>>>a gentle push.
>
>>True, but even if it is a gentle push compared to a TNT detonation, it
>>likely is still a big bang. What do you suggest is the mass of the pellet
>>you want to accelerate?
>
>Very small.  Anyway, I'm no expert on electromagnetic railgun designs,
>but plenty of real scientists doing real research on actual railguns
>are, and some of them even have web pages.  Search Yahoo! with
>"electromagnetic railgun".  There are a lot of cool things out there.
>
>Particularly pertinent to this discussion is research into hydrogen
>pellet accelerators for magnetic fusion reactor fueling, since these
>same pellets would be ideal for the fusion ramjet I'm proposing.
>Muzzle velocities of over 3km/s have been demonstrated, but I
>suggest thinking in terms of only 1km/s or so because the fuel packets
>will ideally have a lightweight railgun with a limited power supply
>(on board fission and/or collection panels for ship based beamed
>power).

??   Ah, given the speeds of the ships were talking about we'ld need muzzel
velocities of 100,000 km/s to launch the pellets.