Re: Bob, you want to go to the stars?

sinister <sinister@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"Bob Kolker" <nowhere@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:584d23F2eth8bU3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Peter B. P. wrote:

Here is your power source for gettign there:

http://www.askmar.com/ConferenceNotes/2006-9%20IAC%20Paper.pdf

The Bussard Ram Jet is an idea that has been kicking around for many
Jahren. Even many Kalikams.

It is infeasible. And even if it worked it could not accelerate mass to
light speed. It is unlikely that it could even get to C/2 without
stressing the material of the vessel that carried the engine. There is an
upper bound to power produced in any controlled fusion reactor. That power
level will determine the upper bound for the speed.

But you don't need to get to c/2 to send a _robotic_ probe to another star
system.

IMHO the show stopper is what happens when a dust grain hits the ship, even
if it's going c/10.

Right. Clearly a form of shield or e/m field is needed to ward off such
impacts.


--
regards , Peter B. P.
http://titancity.com/blog , http://macplanet.dk
.