Space 'spider webs' could propel future probes

[tappakeggaday1]

most energy is lost when accelerating aka fuel.I still hold out for a saucer shape combined with solar sail but feel like slow take off would be better to save fuels for space using like a giant inner tube filled with helium with a control valve on it. if the inner tube expanded to a degree the farther away from earth then the release valve could be opened and then a booster could then be fired in burst for orbit

[HRage]

Fusion power is the way to go. Once sustained fusion is possible by containing the plasma by electric fields, leaving a small gap for this plasma to escape would be an awesome and efficient means of propulsion.

Should nuclear fusion become viable for terrestrial power generation, we're pretty much there in terms of space propulsion.

[thaoval123]

@HRage yes, all we need is to get a tokamac (giant doughnut shaped reactor) up there.. they dont weigh much at all..

[r0ck3tsm0k3]

@HRage No actually it is much harder in space because of the mass of reactors. However, you are right in one way; we do not need to generate net power in space, just to shoot matter out of the back at high speeds. But the weight problem is still a huge one. Our fusion on earth tends to use things like football field sized lasers, or tokamacs as discussed above, and those do not seem ready for space.

But I agree that fusion is one of the best propulsion choices out there. Some day.

[strilight]

1.21 gigawatts!

[erdgv]

Agreed ! If all else fails throw another terawatt at it.... Ha Ha..

[kaizer310]

space travel would be much easier and faster if we used a nuclear bomb in space as propulsion... do the math

[NobodyLoryo]

That would be to dangerous, cause you would have to use a lot of bombs for the entire destination. And the momentum would be really short and it might destroy the entire ship just at launch.

[theinsane102]

Actually a Solar sail would out perform a nuclear rocket, by a factor of 100.

Nothing can compete with solar sails of any kind.

A dusty plasma sail would get you to Pluto in 5 months.

[ActiveStorage]

soviets and us scientists already did the math.

the project was too complicated. but yeah the idea is good for autonomous drones with no human beings on board.. i guess

[OriMedian]

very interesting...

[Drbigballs]

how does it stop?

[ActiveStorage]

or how does it fly towards the sun lol

[JheakrynaKyAlur]

using gravity? ;(

[ActiveStorage]

haha would take a while )

[anthonyfoxtrott]

full power to the freaking electro gun! who needs sound? this is kickass

[Orion16x]

it needs more jigawatts!

[weedpills4201]

right on friend.....

[piepes]

Agreed! Way more gigawatts required!

[dewey32167]

FULL POWER TO THE ELECTRON GUN!!! lolz

[Ichinin]

So what is the electron gun supposed to do, make it look cool?

[CaptainSlug]

That's what feeds the positive charge of the wires.

[DJBrokenHigh]

This is sooo cool! :)

[eddydogleg]

On my planet we used this type of propulsion system centuries ago.

[ikekll]

It wasn't that long ago that many were denying the project (HAARP) existed. Looks like we're making a little progress (I've got a brand new tin foil hat).

When I can find it, I'll post what one of Apollo's astronauts had to say about mingling with "space," particularly as it relates to shooting satellites and the impact the debris will have. It's not a good thing.

[VibrateHigh]

I would be very interested in his comments regarding impact of debris - etc. Certainly there is one thing we should all be able to agree on - and that is that what goes up - must has an effect on something... and there is no way we can KNOW that the effect will be without serious consequences. I wish we were not so overzealous in our "experimenting"...

with our fingers crossed.

[ikekll]

VibrateHigh,

I've been searching for the quote. When I locate it, I'll post.

It was in reference to the Navy destroying the satellite into a million tiny fragments. He stated the debris remains in space indefinitely if it doesn't enter the field of gravity where it's incinerated.

I'll keep searching.

[ikekll]

Vibrate high, I finally found the video

Edgar Mitchell speaking about space debris

watch?v=iRyp7yw3PNY

[VibrateHigh]

wonderful. thank you.

[ikekll]

Always, always a good sign when the shrills show up. Are we paying your salary? I sure as hell hope not. Maybe congress could investigate.

BTW, newscientistvideo is a good one to subscribe to.

off topic:

Question (since I don't know) regarding the making of artificial clouds to "combat" global warming. Something just doesn't sound right-

"clouds reduce warming"

"clouds reduce harmful rays"

hmmmmm, it's all so confusing!

[tristbjorn]

The 'natural' clouds are consist of water vapor, which is the #1 GHG. So if there should be clouds that 'cooled' the planet, they would need to be different from those. Ie. reflect the incoming ray frequencies and not the outbound Infrared ones.

[sp00nC4t]

the clouds block light & heat reaching the earth's surface as well as keeping it locked in when it does go through - as such clouds are not quite as simple as you portray

[JasonVz]

great, the illuminati has a new toy to wreak terror with

[kevinkeay0382]

have you refilled your medication yet JasonVz????

[ikekll]

kevinkeay0382, a recent "rumor" that college grants are provided for research to some young individuals.

It's a communications research project conducted through a number of universities.

I sure as hell hope our taxpayer money isn't paying for your college education, ya know?

[kevinkeay0382]

I tried going to college but the Illuminati was so busy trying to kill me for what I knew about them I have not had the time. I am currently on the run from "THEM".

[ikekll]

Illuminati? not familiar with this...

are you referring to "enlightenment?"

[kevinkeay0382]

I am just trying to parody the devote followers of Conspiracy Theories who stayed with ears glued to COAST TO COAST AM every night thinking that in 2012 we are all going to die because the Mayan Calendar says so.

Ever meet people like that????

[VibrateHigh]

Get out of the sky - stop putting holes in the atmosphere - and instead take care of the earth and its inhabitants. Clean up this horrible mess we have made on this planet first.

More, bigger, faster, is not better. We need to learn how to take care of and appreciate what and who is already here. This is vital.

[maunakea281]

Holes in the atmosphere??? I haven't heard that one before, lol

[VibrateHigh]

I'm glad you are having a good laugh.

Laughing is healthy.

Please research HAARP and all of the other military projects that are affecting our atmosphere... changing the very nature of our planet..and these are just the ones we can research.

It is time to put our over inflated egos away and be responsible.

And it might be wise for us to quit treating this planet like it is a video game - thinking that when this game ends we can go back to START again. Not so - this game will just end.

[snypylo]

HAARP isn't going to destroy our atmosphere, you arrogant fool. What it's doing has been done by nature for hundreds of millions of years, with no ill effects. Lightning storms and solar radiation massively out-power HAARP and similar projects.

The planet is stronger than you think. This rock has survived for billions of years, and isn't about to fear our sticks and stones.

[VibrateHigh]

The planet is strong - yes - it will survive even after we have raped its resources and changed the very nature of it. It may go on forever, without air that we can breathe, without water we can drink and without food that we can eat. We are changing natural patterns - and have been for years. We think we are smarter than we are. Again, you are right, the planet IS strong and - it will survive - we will not. This is not play.

[547212436]

i think he means the o-zone layer

which happens to be self healing at this moment...

[Aguro06]

nice

and good idiea also but there is something .......

i will study a bit more regarding this

[547212436]

XD nice... however... couldent they use the electron stream as propunsion? just and idea...

[balderdash707]

Electrons are so lightweight that it probably wouldn't be very effective. Ion thrusters have actually been used already though.

[547212436]

true... but solar wind energy is also quite weak... how about using the electrons to make a ion thruster or maybe save the charge to power equipment... or maybe gradual steering because the use of this form of propulsion is medium ranged...

other than that i still have doubts on the viability... i still think mylar works better and this technology is not too usable not to say viable because solar wind dies after a while... non the less... it could save a few pounds of fuel and thats good right?

[ArthBHx]

No one knows what your talking about, so explain it in plain simple English so we can understand, (because we all know that your only trying to sound clever) although this may be a difficult task for someone like you, because it takes a lot of intelligence to explain something complex in a simple way.

[balderdash707]

I don't think you get it. An electron is less than a thousand times smaller than protons or neutrons. It would be completely futile to try to use them for propulsion.

Mylar works the same way, but instead of catching the wind with an electric field, Mylar uses a physical object, which would cause more problems. It isn't any better.

[547212436]

yah but it should give more propulsion than charged wires... but that depends on how charged they are and exactly how manny wires there are... if there are enough wires then maby...

[nerdelicious5]

Cool! Not to mention it could make a great screensaver...

[hartnell114]

if you could repel a specifi type of ion,couldnt you make static workable?

[dafttool]

Spider Web is a bit of misnomer, since it has parts radiating out without any cross-stitching, plus spider webs don't rotate. Solar Windmill or Solar Ionmill would be more appropriate. It would probably work well with certain space probes, negating the need for fancy, more expensive, or bulky propulsion systems.

[50shanks]

you sound like the biggest geek of all time

[dafttool]

hehe

[neotoy]

Sure it's attractive and a very creative idea, but practical for long-term voyage? Not really. Makes for a great episode of star-trek.

[psychomelody]

FULL POWER TO ELECTRON GUN!

[DamienZshadow]

SHE CAN'T TAKE MUCH MORE CAP'N!

[zomgomgomgz]

WE MUST CONSTRUCT ADDITIONAL PYLONS!

[ccaptorchen]

wow... good one sir...

[canti1988]

interresting, but wouldn't the negative ions just be attracted to the sail? Im porbaly missing some facts here but the idea is still pretty cool

[DamienZshadow]

it said positive ions and positively charged sail...they would repel.

[canti1988]

yes i understand that bit, but aren't there negative ions with the positve ones? Or are the solar winds only postive charges?