Getting to 100km/sec

[bushiri2005]

paradoxical (from thread A diamond hull will not be enough)<br />"When you really think about it, we don't need anything more powerful than the space shuttle's main thrusters; current and proven technology. Now, they're not made out of anything spectacular, just metal composites. All we need is the fuel source to be able to maintain the thrust. The space shuttle's main thrusters are capable of full power for 7 continuous hours but only burn for 8 minutes per launch! Imagine if we could provide the fuel for 7 hours of continuous full thrust; she'd get to 100 KM per second easily. Missions to mars would be no problem!" <br /><br />Now that's intresting!<br />Will future missions to Mars and beyound use magbeam propulsion or big fat shuttle like thrusters that will thrust for hours? Nevertheless I hope magbeam still being developed. "So when can we expect a MagBeam test mission? According to Dr. Winglee, within 5 years if funding remains consistent."<br />Also, the world's first spacecraft to use a solar sail for propulsion is set to be launched from a submerged Russian submarine on 1 March next year. Old news but excited still. And I hope in 2005 they finally begin building Iter.

 

[mooware]

<font color="yellow">Imagine if we could provide the fuel for 7 hours of continuous full thrust; she'd get to 100 KM per second easily. Missions to mars would be no problem</font><br /><br />Then of course, you've got to slow down and stop!<br /><br />

 

[Maddad]

If you carried that much fuel, then you would mass 50 times as much, so your acceleration for those 7 hours would start at only 2% as much. It would build toward the full 100% by the end of the burn, averaging 50% thrust.<br /><br />It'd be one honkin' huge ship though.

 

[Jerramy]

Yeah, I'm not sure how fast you'd end up going, if you had to carrry that much propellant.<br /><br />the answer of course is, carry less propellant, and throw it harder. Ion drives are the way to go for fast speed.<br /><br />But these piddelly little Deep Space 1 craft are just a hobbyist's toy. You want real thrust, you don't carry just 10 gals of propellant, you carry a ton. And you don't use two solar panels to power it, you use a nuclear reactor or laser beamed microwave power.<br /><br />THAT is how you go fast.<br />-Jerramy