Re: Re: starship-design: Re: Re: Fwd: Re: starship design

[KellySt@aol.com]

 >> > Uh, Kelly, an engine can produce more thrust than its weight.
> > 
> > Yeah, but a 30 - 1 thrust to weight ratio is pretty good, and this is a 
> > anti-mater to pion drive.  Optimistic.
> > 
> > Kelly

> Rocket engines that have thrust well in excess of their 
> weight already exist.  Otherwise we wouldn't be able 
> to get rockets off the ground. 

I know that Steve.  I was in NASA for about 14 years.  30-1  even pushing 100 
to 1 is possible for some chemical fueled rocket engines.

>  I don't see why you consider a 30::1 thrust::weight
> ratio for an antimatter rocket optimistic considering 
> the fuel involved.  Think about it.

I exactly because of the fuel involved that I doubt it.  Curently equipment 
to handel a few dozen atoms weighs most of a ton.  For an engine like this 
your talking about handeling significant mass with magnetic fields, with 
cooling and sheilding loads, and triky reaction to induce.  This is the kind 
of stuff they build things the size of CERN to play with.  Most fusion 
designs can't even lift their own weight.

I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but it sure isn't an assumption that 
should go unchallenged.

Kelly