J
jhoblik
Guest
http://www.sandia.gov/LabNews/ln05-27-05/labnews05-27-05.pdf<br />I would like to discuss idea use Z Accelerator as propulsion system for interplanetary trips. <br />Xenon Ion engine is nice and efficient propulsion but thrust is very low.<br />Z accelerator is able to accelerate aluminum plates to speed 34 km/s(21Miles/s), it is more than actual Ion engine is able to speed up its medium(Xenon).<br />I think also that thrust of Z accelerator could be bigger. As fuel could serve everything what is able to be accelerate in magnetic field. We could use asteroids , Moon(here is plenty of aluminum) and Mars moons to re-supply our interplanetary ships. <br />I couldn’t see weight of this plates,but If these plates weight 1 gram and we will shut them every 5s, 100 tons ship will speed up to escape velocity in 3 month energy supply requirement will be same as 600kW ion engine under development will with thrust ~ 2N.<br />If we will be able speed up speed of plates to 60km/s it will took only 1,5 month to speed up to escape velocity.<br />Am I missing something?<br />