|
|
|
||||||||
|
Interstellar Transportation/Exploration
Introduction
Travel to the nearby star systems using maximum velocities greater than 0.5 light speed can be initiated using essentially current technology. After placing the Power Collector Beam Collimator/ Controller Station (aka Power Beam Generator [PBG]) in solar orbit and placing the assembled Interstellar Vehicle in earth geosynchronous orbit, the Alpha Centauri system can be reached in from 10 years (highly optimistic) to 40 years (reasonably optimistic). An operational concept is presented with high level design descriptions supporting this assertion. The design, development, test, and production of this system will be a global economic driver exceeding that of the combined effects of the jet transport and information service processing industries of the 20th century. Can such a rising tide fail to lift each boat? This will generate a veritable economic tsunami! Interstellar exploration and the colonization of extrasolar planets will provide a source of immense enhancement of human species survivability; to delay development and operation of such a capability is unconscionable. It is the fate of sentient critters, if not their duty, to steer evolution in whichever ways seem most beneficial to them--they won't always guess right but this is better than leaving the steering to non-sentients whether biological or abiological. The universe abhors (does not permit) stasis and (eliminates) those who would promulgate it!
It is imperative that earthlings immediately begin a process from which an intragalactic level space transportation system can evolve. The purpose of this presentation is to offer a starting point, which is expected to require benefit of the knowledge gained from its evaluation and implementation.
The key features of the system are:
1. Propulsion power obtained by collecting energy currently being naturally radiated (insignificant effect on the galactic environment) by the sun (or any achieved target star) and radiating it in a highly collimated energy beam to a designated star system from the star system of origin--initially the Solar System.
2. A fleet of interstellar ships each consisting of 6 billion kilograms (13.2 million tons) mass capable of receiving and riding the main energy beam and capable of supporting a minimum of 10 humans indefinitely provided the energy beam is maintained.
3. A fleet of 5000000 KG (11000 tons) Earth-to-Earth-Orbit Ferry ships each very similar operationally to the interstellar ship but smaller and capable of operating within commercial airliner performance envelopes and reusable for a minimum of 500 missions.
4. Thrust for each Interstellar and Earth Orbit ship provided by plasma engines with ion exhaust speeds (Ve) at very large fractions of light speed using engines incorporating suitably modified electrostatic linear particle accelerators with magnetic steering controls capable of supporting exhaust rates (q) of up to a few hundred kilograms per second (interstellar) and 800 kilograms per second (earth launches).
5. Propellants are molecules commonly present in the earth's atmosphere (CO2, N2 and O2) for the Earth-Orbit-Ferry and in interplanetary space (H2O, CO2, He, H, NH3, etc.,) for the Interstellar Vehicle. If higher molecular or atomic weights are proven to be more suitable, in terms of particle accelerator volt/ampere tradeoffs; asteroid, interplanetary and interstellar dust materials provide a good source. For interplanetary and interstellar paths along which too little material is naturally occurring, particle beams may have to distribute propellant material ahead of the vehicle.
6. Interstellar vehicle maximum velocities of approximately 0.8 light speed magnitude can be reached within 2 years of launch from earth geosynchronous orbit if hazard management proves feasible with an initial acceleration of just over one g (sail effect plus ion propulsion). As an intrasolar system ferry accelerated at this rate from earth geocynchronous orbit, the interstellar vehicle can reach and orbit Mars or Venus in less than 2.5 days; Jupiter (Jovian moons) less than 6.5 days; Pluto less than 19 days (at 40.2 Astronomical Units); orbit within Kuiper belt (65 AU ) in 20 days; orbit within the Oort cloud (52000 AU ) in 23 months.
7. This capability will allow the exploration/colonization of the Milky Way galaxy by stepping from stellar system to stellar system.
8. Within a few thousand years after initiation, this system can be evolved into an intergalactic transportation system and, even later, a universe expansion control system.
The design disciplines and manufacturing processes exist today to produce this system with sufficient reliability (50 or more years life cycle for each major independent system) and maintainability (automated fault detection and isolation, built-in redundancies at modular level and the attendant autoreconfiguration, maximum use of interchangeable parts across all levels of assembly, etc.,) to generate relatively low life cycle costs.
Economically the system fares well when evaluated over several hundred years since the reusability of the system elements eventually brings the cost per kilogram- astronomical-unit into affordability over and above the added assurance of human survival. The cost is cosmological; the benefits-to-cost ratio is unpredictably large.
The only missing elements may be the political will and management skills to mobilize and coordinate the financial resources and human energy required to make this happen.
Click on the items below for more detail.
The objective of this site is to provide a forum for developing workable solutions to interstellar exploration and colonization. As such it is a work in progress. Assumptions, elements and/or processes included in the concept which are known to be faulty should be brought to my attention as soon as it is convenient for you to do so. Serendipity is more likely to occur in an environment infected with fertile imaginations. Lets give Isaac Asimov's concept of a Galactic Empire a chance to selforganize as a Galactic Republic.
In the world of poetry:.....
The earth is but humanity's cocoon precariously attached to the solar system which is but a twig on the galactic tree. Now is the time for the imago to emerge and explore the tree----and eventually, its neighbors. Shall our dreaming limit our vision of progress to having our descendants do less than engineer the expansion of the universe...with appropriate deference to the will and grace of God of course?
MAIL CRITICISMS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT TO:
MalcolmBMcNeill@aol.com or mbmcneill7@comcast.net
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
| page created with Easy Designer |