Re: starship-design: Travel close to the speed of light as you fly a Star Ship to a distant Star

[AJ Crowl <ajcrowlx2@ozemail.com.au>]

Hi Group,
Let's see if I can say something sensible.

Zenon Kulpa wrote:

> I received this letter some time ago, when I was on my holidays.
> I have not yet checked the recommended site - maybe it contains
> something interesting..
> >From the letter it seems pretty well-known thing already.
>
> -- Zenon Kulpa
>
> ----- Begin Included Message -----
>
> >From holmsoft@dundee.net Wed Sep 16 04:58:55 1998
> From: "Larry Holm" <holmsoft@dundee.net>
> To: <zkulpa@ippt.gov.pl>
> Cc: <holmsoft@dundee.net>
> Subject: Travel close to the speed of light as you fly a Star Ship to a distant Star
> Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 23:08:03 -0400
> Content-Length: 1164
>
> Travel close to the speed of light as you fly a Star Ship to a distant
> planet into orbit around a distant star.
> I've written a program to make some calculations. I'm not sure if I'm crazy
> or just wrong, but if I'm right, it might be something to think about and
> share with the world.
>
> Please check it out at http://www.dundee.net/holmsoft/StarTrip.html
>
> Please let me know what you think about this at holmsoft@dundee.net
>
> If you could share this with some friends, I would really appreciate it.
>
> Accelerating at one Earth gravity, 32.2 feet per second per second.
> The Ship will reach 99.9995750753503 percent Light Velocity.
> At that velocity, one day on the Ship will equal about 343 Earth days.
> The Ship will be traveling about one Earth Light Year per one Ship day.
> To reach this velocity will take 11 months 18.13 Ship days or 1 year 6
> months 5.41 Earth days.
> Accelerated by a Ram Jet Fusion Engine using Interstellar Hydrogen for
> fuel. At near light velocity the Engine Scoops will be collecting billions
> of Hydogen protons per second.
> I hope a rock doesn't hit the windshield.
>
> Thanks for your time,
> Larry Holm 09/13/98
> holmsoft@dundee.net
> Belleville, MI.
>
> ----- End Included Message -----

We all know that a hydro-fusion ramjet just ain't gonna get to 0.9 c let alone .999etc.
Also I don't know how Larry calculated his figures but they're way off. To reach a gamma
of 343 it'd take 332.5 years real time, and 12.66 years tau. He got the rock against the
windshield right though.

I'm a bit suspicious. Sounds too eager to have people visit his site and download. Does
he have a virus he wants to share?

Adam