CONSTANT BOOST
CONSTANT BOOST
An idea of many: Years back I remember reading the “Unabridged Heinlein”. In that book I read of constant boost propulsion for space travel. He included how to figure out how to figure it based on time and boost. In it he essentially foresaw what could be of interplanetary manned and unmanned travel. Within current human technology is the ability to constantly accelerate at 1/1000 g. Not much, but some. Constant boost could allow for travel from Earth to Mars in roughly two months or less depending on the amount of boost provided by the propulsion system. VASIMIR which is being developed by NASA is in relation to a constant boost propulsion system.
The biggest problem concerning constant boost is fuel. VASIMIR attempts to try and address that point. However, I would like to see an unmanned probe vehicle sent to a major fuel source; Sol. Sol having huge fields of plasma to use as fuel. Why an unmanned probe? The propulsion experiment being the primary focus, but also radiation being a tremendous consideration; a paramount one. If an unmanned probe was exposed to large amounts of radiation and essentially fried then fine it is fried. In terms of a manned mission it is a no, no, for usage of Sol as a fuel source.
Why? The electromagnetic shielding required to assist in radiation shielding for the crew is far behind the level of development needed for human protection. Even if it was concisely available it would add significantly to the weight of the vehicle and what the propulsion system has to deal with during acceleration.
Essentially, by using a plasma based helicon to accelerate constantly, fueled by the plasma of the sun, and shielded for instance by an M2P2, and powered by a small nuclear reactor; such is viable within human technology and capability. More or less it is within human capability to develop and build it.
CONSTANT BOOST
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_travel_using_constant_acceleration
VASIMIR
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasimir
PLASMA PROPULSION
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_propulsion_engine
A PLASMA ENGINE
http://www.ess.washington.edu/Space/HPH/
A POWER SOURCE (small nuclear reactors)
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf33.html
A POTENTIAL SHIELDING SYSTEM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2P2
An idea of many: Years back I remember reading the “Unabridged Heinlein”. In that book I read of constant boost propulsion for space travel. He included how to figure out how to figure it based on time and boost. In it he essentially foresaw what could be of interplanetary manned and unmanned travel. Within current human technology is the ability to constantly accelerate at 1/1000 g. Not much, but some. Constant boost could allow for travel from Earth to Mars in roughly two months or less depending on the amount of boost provided by the propulsion system. VASIMIR which is being developed by NASA is in relation to a constant boost propulsion system.
The biggest problem concerning constant boost is fuel. VASIMIR attempts to try and address that point. However, I would like to see an unmanned probe vehicle sent to a major fuel source; Sol. Sol having huge fields of plasma to use as fuel. Why an unmanned probe? The propulsion experiment being the primary focus, but also radiation being a tremendous consideration; a paramount one. If an unmanned probe was exposed to large amounts of radiation and essentially fried then fine it is fried. In terms of a manned mission it is a no, no, for usage of Sol as a fuel source.
Why? The electromagnetic shielding required to assist in radiation shielding for the crew is far behind the level of development needed for human protection. Even if it was concisely available it would add significantly to the weight of the vehicle and what the propulsion system has to deal with during acceleration.
Essentially, by using a plasma based helicon to accelerate constantly, fueled by the plasma of the sun, and shielded for instance by an M2P2, and powered by a small nuclear reactor; such is viable within human technology and capability. More or less it is within human capability to develop and build it.
CONSTANT BOOST
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_travel_using_constant_acceleration
VASIMIR
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasimir
PLASMA PROPULSION
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_propulsion_engine
A PLASMA ENGINE
http://www.ess.washington.edu/Space/HPH/
A POWER SOURCE (small nuclear reactors)
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf33.html
A POTENTIAL SHIELDING SYSTEM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2P2