Re: starship-design: Re: Inspiration attached!

[Steve VanDevender <stevev@efn.org>]

STAR1SHIP@aol.com writes:
 > Currerent reference
 > [Relativity FAQ] - [Copyright]
 > Updated 14-January-1998 by PEG
 > Original by Philip Gibbs 14-April-1997
 > http://www.weburbia.com/physics/FTL.html
 > quote16. The infinite energy argument
 > When Einstein wrote down his postulates for special relativity he did not
 > include the statement that you can not travel faster than light. There is a
 > misconception that it is possible to derive it as a consequence of the
 > postulates he did give. Incidentally, it was Henri Poincare who said "Perhaps
 > we must construct a new mechanics, ... in which the speed of light would 
 > become
 > an impassable limit." That was in an address to the International Congress of
 > Arts and Science in 1904 before Einstein announced special relativity in 1905.
 > End quote

It is well-established that in special relativity, the momentum and
energy of any object with mass asymptotically approaches infinity as the
velocity of the object approaches c.  Massless particles carry equal
amounts of energy and momentum, always travel at c, and can't be slowed
down or sped up.  Particle physics experiments have directly confirmed
the asymptotic increase of momentum and energy as the particles are
accelerated to within tiny fractions of c; if it were possible to make
objects go faster than c, you'd think they'd be able to make subatomic
particles do so easily.

 > One relies on momentum to carry the rocket beyond c.

So this statement of yours is directly at odds with special relativity.
The relativistic momentum of an object with mass m at velocity v is:

p = m * (v / sqrt(1 - v^2/c^2))

Not the Newtonian p = m * v that you keep trying to use.  Not only does
the momentum approach infinity as v approaxches c, but there's no
meaningful interpretation of momentum for velocities of c or greater.

Given the small amount of fuel, the low mass-to-energy conversion rate
for it, and the mass of the ship you postulate, you're not even going to
get into low relativistic speeds with your rocket.