Re: starship-design: space propulsion

[STAR1SHIP@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/28/00 8:41:20 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
lparker@cacaphony.net writes:

> There is a good synopsis of current space propulsion research at:
>  
>  http://www.science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/prop12apr99_1.htm
>  
>  "Reaching for the stars
>  Scientists examine using antimatter and fusion to propel future spacecraft"
>  
>  This is from the 10th annual Advanced Propulsion Research Workshop.
>  
>  Lee

Here is a more interactive detailed link:
http://sec353.jpl.nasa.gov/apc/index.html

Partial quote----
FISSION-FRAGMENT PROPULSION

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Nuclear fission has an energy density of 8 x 1013 J/kg as compared to 
chemical reactions with an energy density of 1 x 107 J/kg. This high energy 
density make fission appealing for propulsion. However, most fission 
propulsion concepts use energy from a fission reactor to heat a propellant 
"working fluid" gas (e.g., hydrogen) which then expands through a nozzle to 
produce thrust. Ultimately, engine materials structural temperature limits 
restrict these systems to specific impulses of less than 7,000 lbf-s/lbm. 
Fission-fragment propulsion involves permitting the energetic fragments 
produced in the nuclear fission process to directly escape from the reactor; 
thus, the fission fragments, moving with a velocity of several percent of the 
speed of light, are the propellant working fluid. Because these fragments are 
heavily ionized, they can be directed by magnetic fields to produce thrust 
for propulsion. Specific impulse in excess of 1 million lbf-s/lbm is possible

------- end quote

Makes me wish I knew how to calculate the specific impulse for my engine ;=)

I found the above link from

http://www.alcyone.com/max/links/science.html
A personal page of a space buff with loads of related links. I wouldn't mind 
him joining this group.

My star ship site got hit with 800 hits in two days with no advertising.
I found my site linked in

 <A HREF="http://www.crank.net/science.html">Crank Dot Net | science</A>  
http://www.crank.net/science.html

along with Nasa's advanced propulsion system site. One labeled crankish and 
the other labeled illucid by the submitter.
Oh well ;)  Bad publicity and good company is better than none.

  
Tom
 <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/tjac780754/indexda.html">A Definitive 
Analysis of Atomic Power</A> 
 <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/tjac780754/indexb.htm">Plasma Rocket Engine</
A>
 <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/tjac780754/index.htm#TRANSPORT">CyberSpace 
Star Ship</A>