Re: ICAN (Was RE: starship-design: What is safest?)

[Kelly St <KellySt@aol.com>]

>I discussed this somewhat with Kelly. The ICAN concept uses only an initial 
>boost phase and then shuts the engines down and coasts the rest of the way 
>until it is time to decelerate. This method keeps the engines well within 
>current system lifetime capabilities but severely limits velocity. I was 
>(am) hoping for a little more than that. If magnetic nozzle technology 
>development proves out, it may be possible to extend the design lifetimes 
>enough to sustain continuous boost. Personally, I think this will take 
>between fifty and one hundred years to perfect, but it will permit cruise 
>velocities approaching c within a few tenths of a percent.

Can it really carry enough fuel to boost to and from such a speed?  What kind
of fuel ratios or ISP do you think are possible?

>Lee

Kelly