Void Postings

Calliban · 2025-05-21 15:54:57

tahanson43206 wrote:

For Void re post with images and GIF of asteroid NEAR probe...
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 94#p231794
That is an impressive composition!
Your recent introduction of the idea of using iron as propellant (reaction mass) might inspire one or two readers to wonder about the potential impact such highly accelerated iron atoms might have when they encounter the hull of a space craft. Your post includes mention of building up layers of material for radiation protection, and provision for arrival of the iron atoms used as reaction mass might seem advisable.
(th)

Short answer: none. Heavy ions have a very short range in matter (microns), due to their interaction with electron shells. Look up the Bethe-Bloch equation. Also, ions will tend to be swept away by solar wind.

One area where this could potentially be a problem, is planetary magnetospheres. Whilst interplanetary space is vast, the Earth's radiation belts start about 1000km above its surface. If they are pumped with ions that are accelerated as Earth's magnetic field lines sweep them, it could do damage to exposed components like solar panels.

tahanson43206 · 2025-05-29 17:42:44

For Void re Saudi improvement of solar panel performance by cooling...

Here is a topic where a duplicate copy of your report would be welcome:
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=10837

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-03 06:34:37

For Void re interesting observation about search...

Your discovery as reported in a recent Multi-Ship topic post is interesting.

Thanks for telling us about the possibility that a search on a cell phone might not be reproducible on a desktop or laptop computer.

Since I have never tried this I appreciate your report.

I have an idea for something to try but don't think it is wanted so will avoid creating a disturbance.

(th)

Void · 2025-06-03 12:19:26

Problem solved as I hoped, a day after I could find it: https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 26#p232026

Ending Pending

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-04 07:47:25

This is for Void.

However, I am offering this conversation in the public interest.

First of all, Void, this is NOT about you! You are the innocent participant in a situation that is highly unusual, but not unheard of.

We have received correspondence from someone who I suspect is in Europe, where the laws (apparently) allow citizens to ask to be erased from the Internet.

In your wide reporting on a great many subjects, you have inadvertently come to the attention of someone who wants to be erased from our records. Apparently, in all innocence, you have posted information that the correspondent now wants removed. I don't know the motive, but in the States, we have the Witness Protection program, so perhaps this is something similar.

You may know that SpaceNut's policy is to extend the greatest possible tolerance to posts contributed by members. RobertDyck, kbd512 and I have all followed SpaceNut's lead.

So here is the dilemma... If I tell you what information is requested to be erased, we would be increasing the problem.

Would you be willing to grant kbd512 (our Junior Administrator) permission to modify (erase) the text that is of concern? We would (in this scenario) leave your post exactly as it is, except for removal of identifying information that we have been asked to remove. We are talking about a post that you created almost a year ago, so it is unlikely many readers will ever see it.

Again, this is NOT about you! This is our (Admins) attempt to deal with a most unusual request.

(th)

Void · 2025-06-04 08:36:08

Request from the just previous post:

Would you be willing to grant kbd512 (our Junior Administrator) permission to modify (erase) the text that is of concern? We would (in this scenario) leave your post exactly as it is, except for removal of identifying information that we have been asked to remove. We are talking about a post that you created almost a year ago, so it is unlikely many readers will ever see it.
Again, this is NOT about you! This is our (Admins) attempt to deal with a most unusual request.
(th)

I say yes, and grant the requested permission. I hope the person requesting will be OK.

I expect that I will never know what post or what it was about.

Ending Pending

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-04 09:56:07

For Void re #156

Thank you for your understanding and for permission to make the needed changes. We'll take care of this in the next Google Meeting, when kbd512 is online. As it happens, I do not have the powers needed, since I am only a Moderator, and a Junior one at that.

As far as not knowing goes.... well, that ** is ** the idea!

My thinking on this is that if a person doesn't want to be "remembered" on the Internet, don't post on the Internet.

There's another entire category for posts ** about ** others on the Internet, but that's not something we've had to worry about so far.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-09 06:15:46

For Void re interesting post in Rotating Detonation Engines topic
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 16#p232116

While the topic itself is focused upon a particular kind of rocket engine, your observations seem to me to cover a much broader range.

Your post seems (to me at least) to bracket the extremes pretty well. You will need calculus to find the optimum performance of a rocket engine, given various starting conditions.

Happily, you do not have to learn calculus, if you can run a spreadsheet on a computer (which I am sure you can).

GW Johnson has stored all the calculus you would need in the cells of the spreadsheet(s) he has created over a number of years.

We have placed his work for public use, but as far as I know, not ONE human being on the face of the Earth has taken advantage of the opportunity to learn about rockets, or space navigation for that matter, from the Orbits class or any of the other materials Dr. Johnson has provided.

It is possible someone reading this post might imagine that rocket science is too difficult to learn, but GW has attempted to make the process of solving rocket equations as easy as is possible.

In any case, thank you for a thoughtful post that might inspire a reader of this forum to investigate the opportunities to learn that are available in the archives of this forum, as well as countless other locations on the Internet.

As a follow up regarding Rotating Detonation Engines ... I am interested in this technology precisely because it is (apparently) NOT subject to the oscillations that can and often do plague large traditional rockets. The oscillations that GW Johnson observes coming from the huge Raptor engines under test just a few miles from his house are (apparently) caused by "vortexes" that occur when propellants are injected into a combustion chamber at high volume and combustion occurs as the propellants mix in a very small space at a very high rate. The design of the Rotating Detonation Engine appears to prevent such vortexes, because it (apparently) does a better job of mixing the reactants before they combine chemically.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-09 10:33:43

For Void re stunning post in The Moon topic ...
http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 29#p232129

Thank you for this encouraging report!

Extracting valuable atoms from the Moon will be compared to doing the same thing on Earth.

For some, with these atom types in the local terrain, the choice will be easy enough.

For others, lacking these atom types and subject to prices charged by suppliers (if the supplier will sell at all) the lunar option will look better.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-11 19:29:31

For Void re post https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 66#p232166

Thank you for your kind words about Tom Kalbfus ...

He was gone from active membership when I joined, but I've read many of his posts over the past several years.

***
The is a detail in your recent post that caught my eye, and I suspect you may not have noted the topic that investigated the possibility of using tritium as an energy storage system. I understand that our members cannot possibly read everything that other members post.

In topic I'm thinking of, the idea of using tritium for home energy supply was explored in some depth. The material has attractive properties for this application. It is used already on a very small scale for such applications as luminous dials. The material is in short supply, and extremely difficult to make, as your post points out. I bring this to your attention because you mentioned just storing tritium somewhere and waiting until it converts to helium.

If you have ** that ** much tritium, it would be valuable for a number of applications, precisely because it yields a valuable material after it has given up it's stored energy.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-14 06:23:19

For Void re video link with updates about rocket technology....

https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 16#p232216

Thanks for providing that link! It was good to see mention of the strength testing of the Super Heavy during the last flight.

The 360/390 bar performance of the Raptor 3 engines might be what GW Johnson was reporting from his location close to the McGregor test stands.

Interesting about Vast Space as well, and their space station plans.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-17 06:36:48

For Void re Starship hull as air-tight container for habitat on Mars...

In a recent post you included a brief description of how a Starship hull might be laid on it's side and used as a pressure vessel for habitation.

In the post (as I remember it) you spoke of concern for piling regolith on the outside of the cylinder.

In a recent post, Calliban has continued developing his ideas for use of stone/rock on Mars as a strong building material.

https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 50#p232250

I like the idea of using the Starship hull as an airtight container, while Calliban's vision of stone arches to carry the mass of regolith seems worth considering for the challenging Mars environment.

Combining these two ideas would solve a lot of problems that would face the architect designing a stone-only building.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-17 09:59:54

For Void re preference to avoid placing anything in contact with the wall of a Starship...

It occurred to me that your vision has some similarity to a dirigible in a hanger. If you were to enlist Calliban to build you a strong stone hanger, covered with regolith for radiation protection, that structure would not need to be air tight, if you were to gently drag or slide horizontal starship into the cavity. You would need to make living space inside the hull so that would take a bit of effort, but the result would be an air tight enclosure inside a robust radiation shelter.

(th)

Calliban · 2025-06-17 10:40:49

Starship is 9m in diameter and 52m long.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starship

So any enclosure needs at least those dimensions. A nubian vaulting technique may work best in this application. With Starship already pressure rated, a layer of regolith 1-2m thick would be needed for radiation shielding.

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-24 08:31:33

For Void!
Just a quick note of appreciation for your posting of John Powell's latest video.
I'm glad to see he is still with us and still working!
I'm planning to watch the video later when when i can slot the time.
I did read some of the comments. As usual there is enthusiasm and skepticism.
(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-26 13:00:21

For Void re interesting post in Venus topic...

http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 46#p232446

The purpose of this post is to try to encourage you to continue developing your microwave power idea.

I would also appreciate your developing your thoughts a bit more about why a form of space elevator might not work at Venus.

My guess is that you might be thinking the rotation rate of Venus might not support a space elevator as commonly thought of.

However, I see no reason why a space elevator has to be tied to a fixed location around a planet.

i'm hoping this hint of an idea will be enough for you to grow from seed to something only you could create.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-27 07:33:15

For Void re rectenna on balloon ....

As so often happens with your visions, there are practical applications...

Hot air ballooning is a popular entertainment for many people around Earth these days, but almost all existing such balloons use compressed gas as the heating mechanism. The recent loss of life in Brazil is a reminder of the risks of flying with a gas burner and a compressed gas cylinder. The fact that thousands of such flights occur without incident each year does not detract from the risks, but it does show that properly trained operators can keep the dangers under control most of the time.

I bring this field to your attention, because it seems to me it might be possible to provide electrical energy to heat the air in a hot air balloon by suspending a rectenna array under the passenger compartment, or by mounting the rectenna elements on the fabric of the balloon itself, as you suggested might be possible in a recent post.

The idea could even be extended to providing power for helium filled air ships.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-06-27 10:13:10

For Void re rectenna for communications as well as power and location over cities...

Please keep developing your ideas! It seems to me that if the signal were modulated at the ground station, then the changes in strength of the signal could be retrieved at the balloon. An electrical engineer would be able to provide advice on the challenges that idea might present.

While you are on a roll, please add a mechanism to hold the balloon in place against the steady movement of the atmosphere. A rule of thumb to consider is that a big slow moving fan may be more efficient for this purpose than the traditional little dinky fans that have been in use since balloons were first mechanized in the 1800's.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2025-07-10 08:27:20

For void about icy worlds...

newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?pid=232743#p232743

Your post today reminded me of something Calliban contributed recently... I don't remember now where I saw it, but I noted at the time that it might be fun to see what you might do with it...

As I recall the suggestion, Calliban described a small O'Neill colony inside an icy world. The icy world would provide plenty of heat sink, as well as materials for use by the population, and above all protection from all the objects whizzing around in open space.

The modern digital envirnment would permit a high quality of life for residents.

I'm getting a sense of what that might be like.... I have an LED screen showing a view looking out over a lake in California. The web site provides a view of a mountain valley as the Sun moves across the sky and every leaf that stirs in the breeze. The site provides a microphone so bird calls are broadcast, along with the occasional helicopter flying overhead. I assume there must be a military base nearby.

The lives of humans in caves have been necessarily limited to bare walls of stone in past eons, but in the present era such a condition of limited viewing is no longer the only choice. Growing spaces would be present, so humans living in that environment would have plenty of opportunity to visit plants of all kinds, and tend to their needs as necessary.

I would expect the Library of Congress to be digitized by then, so the entirety of human culture and history would be available to any resident.

The Library of Congress is just * one ** of the collections of human culture that might be available in future.

Broadcasts from Earth will be popular sources of (relatively) current information and entertainment. Residents in outlying sites will be just as capable as anyone else of contributing to the flow of ideas.

(th)

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