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#1 Re: Interplanetary transportation » VASIMR for LEO Launches? - What prevents it? » 2005-01-31 14:03:06
Well, theoretically, with enough power, one could do both: heat a very large amount of propellant to a very high tempurature. But its just not within range of the VASIMR I guess. There's a good reason for my not seeming to think terribly clearly as of last night: a 16 page paper on space launch, that I'd spent about 19 hours working on under the influence of about 6 cans of Dr. Pepper and a couple of cups of tea.
Thanks to everyone who responded. 
#2 Re: Interplanetary transportation » VASIMR for LEO Launches? - What prevents it? » 2005-01-31 01:30:54
Yeah... that makes sense, should have caught that, but my brain isn't operating on full function this late at night. Ok next question: why do thrust and specific impulse seem to be inverses? Why do engines like the VASIMR and ion drives that have such huge specific impulses have small thrusts. The equations I have in front of me in Zubrin'ss Entering Space seem to indicated that a high Isp would lead to a high trust. C = g(Isp) and T = mC where T is thrust, m is the propellant mass flow, c is the exhaust velocity and g is the acceleration due to gravity. Is there an equation relating propellant mass flow to Isp? I've read that they aren't always inverses just in the case of the VASIMR. Why is that the case?
#3 Re: Interplanetary transportation » VASIMR for LEO Launches? - What prevents it? » 2005-01-31 00:10:59
Why isn't any one talking about using the VASIMR for Earth to LEO launches? Reports on it I've seen claim that it can reach either very high Isp or very high trusts, so why wouldn't it work well for sending ships to LEO?
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