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Space Forum / Space Flight / October 2003Recycling electrical power on project dedalus?
Over the weekend I was reading some sites associated with our British Interplanetary Societys Project Dedalus. It seems to be for the moment the only practical proposition to get a payload to another system in a realistic time frame. Anyhow, on some of the sites concerning the engine, was a discription to have around the rocket nozzel bell end an O ring of like a cathode, so the probe can recycle some current/electrocity via the plasma exhaust plume. Can they do that, and do you get much electricity via it? It sounds like a good idea and it could be used on a VASIMR type rocket to get some payback from the amount of electricity the ship would use to generate a plasma exhaust. Christopher +++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it." Winston Churchill > Over the weekend I was reading some sites associated with our British > Interplanetary Societys Project Dedalus. It seems to be for the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > some payback from the amount of electricity the ship would use to > generate a plasma exhaust. TANSTAAFL. There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Luanch. Any energy you extract from the exhaust slows down said exhaust relative to the vehicle, and vice versa, because it exerts an equal and opposite reaction force on the vehicle. Hence, trying to "recycle" the energy simply cuts into the engine's performamnce. You can't lift yourself by pulling on your own shoelaces, and you can't "recycle" energy you've used to produce thrust. The reason why this was acceptable on _Daedalus_ was that the exhaust was being produced by fusion micro-explosions, i.e., the enegine was a net _SOURCE_ of energy, which could be tapped for vehicle operations. By contrast, VASIMR is a net _CONSUMER_ of energy, not a _producer_ of energy. -- Gordon D. Pusch perl -e '$_ = "gdpusch\@NO.xnet.SPAM.com\n"; s/NO\.//; s/SPAM\.//; print;' >> Over the weekend I was reading some sites associated with our British >> Interplanetary Societys Project Dedalus. It seems to be for the [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >By contrast, VASIMR is a net _CONSUMER_ of energy, not a _producer_ >of energy. Right, thanks for the clarification. Christopher +++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it." Winston Churchill > Over the weekend I was reading some sites associated with our British > Interplanetary Societys Project Dedalus. Reminds me. The latest issue of Spaceflight is advertising "Project Daedalus" on CD with added colour pictures. £15 or US$30 plus postage. No mention of online ordering but the website at http://www.bis-spaceflight.com/ does have a section for sales, but it's unusable without Javascript. Anthony  Signature| Weather prediction will never be accurate until we | | kill all the butterflies | > > Over the weekend I was reading some sites associated with our British > > Interplanetary Societys Project Dedalus. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >http://www.bis-spaceflight.com/ does have a section for sales, but it's >unusable without Javascript. Just had a look on the bis site and can't any mention of that Project Dedalus cd in the for sale section. Christopher +++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it." Winston Churchill > >Reminds me. The latest issue of Spaceflight is advertising "Project > >Daedalus" on CD with added colour pictures. £15 or US$30 plus postage. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Just had a look on the bis site and can't any mention of that Project > Dedalus cd in the for sale section. Having used a Javascript enabled browser on it now, nor can I. The paper advert mentions postage at £1 (US$2) surface delivery or £2 (US$4) airmail and gives the society postal address of 27/29 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1SZ, although I'd assume a phone call to +44 20 7735 3160 or email to sf@bis-spaceflight.com would also give a result. Anthony Signature| Weather prediction will never be accurate until we | | kill all the butterflies | |
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