Re: starship-design: Interstellar travel-using vacuum..ur point?

["Kyle R. Mcallister" <stk@sunherald.infi.net>]

GVoigt8259@aol.com wrote:
>
> Hi sir,
>
> Forgive me, I'm just a lowly  chemist with a huge interest in astronomy and
> physics.   The most plausible and acheivable goal for an STL (Slower than
> light) ship sounds like a Bussard RAMJET (Elegent design) which could attain
> speeds in excess of 50% the speed of light.
>
> You have a better idea?  i want to know. write me back

A Bussard Ramjet will get you up to 30%c, if interstellar hydrogen fuel
is abundant enough, but will not go much faster. Drag with the
interstellar medium will soon equal thrusting ratio, and acceleration
will cease. This is not my idea, but one gleaned from quite a bit of
study on ramjets. If you want to really use the vacuum of space for
travel, you are venturing into something completely different, and not
yet understood.

Kyle R. Mcallister