http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/04/flight-to-the-stars-on-sun-power/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:15:36 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/04/flight-to-the-stars-on-sun-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1067264 Baron Waste Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:40:22 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/04/flight-to-the-stars-on-sun-power/#comment-1067264 What isn't considered here is that the acceleration of an ion drive upon this ginormous mass would be almost undetectable. If you could muster one thousandth of a gee, you'd be doing swell. Sure it's acceleration, and eventually you'd get somewhere, but it would take weeks to even reach escape velocity from Earth's orbit. Consumables of food and air would be exhausted long before you'd arrive even at Mars. So either this is going to be unmanned, or maybe lunch will be served via cargo rocket to this “space station” with a <i>slowly</i> expanding orbit... What isn’t considered here is that the acceleration of an ion drive upon this ginormous mass would be almost undetectable. If you could muster one thousandth of a gee, you’d be doing swell. Sure it’s acceleration, and eventually you’d get somewhere, but it would take weeks to even reach escape velocity from Earth’s orbit. Consumables of food and air would be exhausted long before you’d arrive even at Mars. So either this is going to be unmanned, or maybe lunch will be served via cargo rocket to this “space station” with a slowly expanding orbit…

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/04/flight-to-the-stars-on-sun-power/comment-page-1/#comment-863519 jayessell Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:38:19 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/04/flight-to-the-stars-on-sun-power/#comment-863519 Pretty good for pre-Sputnik. Mars landing craft were not mentioned. It was just a flybly? The article didn't properly differentiate between 'fuel' and 'reaction mass'. Many tons of reaction mass would be required. Could some of the Solar Power Plants be jettissoned as fuel is used up on the return trip? Left in orbit around Mars? (But the amount of power to eject the mass remains constant. But the ship is lighter. Discuss.) Pretty good for pre-Sputnik.
Mars landing craft were not mentioned. It was just a flybly?
The article didn’t properly differentiate between ‘fuel’ and ‘reaction mass’.
Many tons of reaction mass would be required.
Could some of the Solar Power Plants be jettissoned as fuel is used up on the return trip? Left in orbit around Mars?
(But the amount of power to eject the mass remains constant. But the ship is lighter. Discuss.)

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