Comments on: Firing Off Charged Nanoparticles Might Allow Spaceships to Move at Near-Light Speed http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/ Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:57:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Skrim http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2200 Skrim Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:47:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2200 This sounds like an improved variant of the core ion engine concept to me, one which uses nanoparticles as reaction mass and yet another variation on the way of accelerating them. I'd like to see it compared to other interplanetary electric propulsion forms, like the VASIMR or MPD thruster. Interstellar travel is still beyond gonna be beyond our reach though for a long long time. Regardless of what engine you use, you'd need an incredible amount of energy and reaction mass to get near the speed of light, and that kind of energy we simply do not have. This sounds like an improved variant of the core ion engine concept to me, one which uses nanoparticles as reaction mass and yet another variation on the way of accelerating them.

I’d like to see it compared to other interplanetary electric propulsion forms, like the VASIMR or MPD thruster.

Interstellar travel is still beyond gonna be beyond our reach though for a long long time. Regardless of what engine you use, you’d need an incredible amount of energy and reaction mass to get near the speed of light, and that kind of energy we simply do not have.

]]> By: lamanga2004 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2199 lamanga2004 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:39:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2199 jz : v = u + at if initial velocity, u, is zero, then final velocity, v, is the product of acceleration and time. and if acceleration = 1g, then: v = gt t = v/g Assume g = 10 m/s per second Then the time taken to accelerate to y m/s is about 1/1oth of y. speed of light, c, = 3 x 10^8 m/s = 300,000,000 m/s 70% of this is approx 200,000,000 m/s 1/10th of this is 20,000,000 seconds 20,000,000 seconds is 230 days. So after 8 months you'd be going 70% of the speed of light. (And your clock would run 40% more slowly than a clock on earth - after 10 years onboard, your friends on earth would have aged 14 years...) Question for you: How fast would you be going after a further 8 months of continuous acceleration of 10m/s per second? jz :

v = u + at

if initial velocity, u, is zero, then final velocity, v, is the product of acceleration and time.

and if acceleration = 1g, then:

v = gt

t = v/g

Assume g = 10 m/s per second

Then the time taken to accelerate to y m/s is about 1/1oth of y.

speed of light, c, = 3 x 10^8 m/s = 300,000,000 m/s

70% of this is approx 200,000,000 m/s

1/10th of this is 20,000,000 seconds

20,000,000 seconds is 230 days.

So after 8 months you’d be going 70% of the speed of light. (And your clock would run 40% more slowly than a clock on earth – after 10 years onboard, your friends on earth would have aged 14 years…)

Question for you: How fast would you be going after a further 8 months of continuous acceleration of 10m/s per second?

]]> By: IBM Creates Nanoparticles That Burst Superbugs Like Popped Balloons | JetLib News http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2198 IBM Creates Nanoparticles That Burst Superbugs Like Popped Balloons | JetLib News Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:20:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2198 [...] are trying to use nanoparticles to fight cancer, move spaceships faster, and solve erection [...] [...] are trying to use nanoparticles to fight cancer, move spaceships faster, and solve erection [...]

]]> By: jz http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2197 jz Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:01:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2197 How long would it take to accelerate to that speed (ideally the acceleration would be 1Gee but likely it would be less?) ? How long would it take to accelerate to that speed (ideally the acceleration would be 1Gee but likely it would be less?) ?

]]> By: Borg Forever http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2196 Borg Forever Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:49:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2196 The Borg have it right with their Cube. The Borg have it right with their Cube.

]]> By: Dave http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2195 Dave Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:55:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2195 Where do the nanoparticles come from? Isn't this mass (as opposed to massless) fuel? Wouldn't this fuel need to be carried on-board? And be expendable? Yes, they're small, but apparently used at a high rate and you can run out(?) Clue me! Where do the nanoparticles come from? Isn’t this mass (as opposed to massless) fuel? Wouldn’t this fuel need to be carried on-board? And be expendable? Yes, they’re small, but apparently used at a high rate and you can run out(?)

Clue me!

]]> By: devils advocate http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2194 devils advocate Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:43:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2194 Is this not just another fancy ioniser? ionisers give of charged particles due to the high voltage.These charge particles can be further accelerated by fields.Just increase the number of needles or use a rough surface or wire wool. Is this not just another fancy ioniser?

ionisers give of charged particles due to the high voltage.These charge particles can be further accelerated by fields.Just increase the number of needles or use a rough surface or wire wool.

]]> By: Damian http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2193 Damian Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:19:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2193 inertial dampers for a force which is less substantial than the exhalation force against your body? Probably not necessary. inertial dampers for a force which is less substantial than the exhalation force against your body? Probably not necessary.

]]> By: Timbo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2192 Timbo Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:18:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2192 I would hope that some sort of inertial dampening device would also be in place on this space ship. We wouldn't want any future astronauts to become thin layers of goo on the back wall of this ship once the device is enabled. I would hope that some sort of inertial dampening device would also be in place on this space ship. We wouldn’t want any future astronauts to become thin layers of goo on the back wall of this ship once the device is enabled.

]]> By: Roadtripper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2191 Roadtripper Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:31:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/07/16/would-an-electric-rocket-ship-have-zero-emmissions-if-it-goes-90-of-the-speed-of-light-do-we-care/#comment-2191 Dunc, On p4 of the PDF linked to above, the authors discuss Isp values as high as 10,000 seconds, which equates to an exhaust velocity of almost 100km/sec. So it'll use a lot less reaction mass than anything flying today, but it doesn't look to me like it's efficient enough for a starship, by a couple orders of magnitude. (Check my math? Thanks.) Rt Dunc,

On p4 of the PDF linked to above, the authors discuss Isp values as high as 10,000 seconds, which equates to an exhaust velocity of almost 100km/sec. So it’ll use a lot less reaction mass than anything flying today, but it doesn’t look to me like it’s efficient enough for a starship, by a couple orders of magnitude.

(Check my math? Thanks.)

Rt

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