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For Void re laser energy from GEO...
Thanks for this follow up to an earlier report about this company.
The greater detail about working from GEO helps to turn this from a fantasy to something practical.
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For Void ... thanks for bringing Tom Mueller to our attention!
This Wikipedia article might complement the link you provided.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Mueller
I was interested to learn that Mr. Mueller is the designer whose Merlin engine is the model for the Optical Plane studies.
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For Void re interesting post on acceleration of electrons to propel a space craft...
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 79#p236179
Thank you for this review of the use of electrons for propulsion...
Please ask Co-Pilot to see if it can discover where the electrons are coming from.
The spacecraft is equipped/fitted with a certain number of electrons, which ** must ** equal the number of protons in the system. Electrons are not created in the space craft itself. Please ask Co-Pilot to explain where the electrons needed for propulsion are going to come from.
It is possible the supply of electrons might be presumed to be solar wind, but the article you posted did not make that clear.
A post dedicated to the creation of electrons would be a helpful addition to your series. I presume electrons are created in our Sun, and in all suns through nuclear fusion, but I've not seen anything (or forgot it if I have) about how electrons are made.
I would like to point out that relativistic electrons are a potent radiation hazard, so a space craft using this technique will be creating a hazard for down stream objects (including living objects) for years and great distances.
This doesn't mean humans won't use this technique. It merely means that propulsion using this method will increase the total amount of high velocity radiation that is present in space, so humans who travel in space must protect themselves against relativistic electrons as well as relativistic protons or atoms stripped of electrons such as alpha particles.
If you have a moment more to follow up on the question of relativistic electrons, please ask Co-Pilot to try to estimate the current amount of relativistic electron flow that exists in open space. My guess is that there are as many free electrons moving around in space as there are positively charged objects with protons missing electrons, but that's just a guess. Hopefully Co-Pilot can find scientific studies that have considered this question. For those with a particular interest in accounting for particles, I recognize that the sentence above could have been worded better. Some positively charged objects are missing just one electron, but many are missing more than one electron. For example, alpha particles are missing four, so the number of objects must necessarily be less than the number of free electrons. Perhaps the term "hole" is better, but even that term is not quite right. Perhaps Co-Pilot can provide a better phrasing?
Thanks again for adding this interesting new content to the forum archives.
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For Void re post on electrons as suitable for use as propellant...
Thanks again for introducing this concept to the forum. I appreciate the learning opportunity, and came away with an understanding that a space vessel that uses ionization will be in position to accelerate positively charged objects and an equal quantity of negatively charged objects so as to maintain a balance.
I had not considered this need before you brought the matter to our attention.
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For Void re Falcon 1 landing on the Moon ....
I don't know the answer to this, and would be interested if you can find out.
My question is inspired by your recent post about possibly using Falcon 9 upper stage as a Moon lander.
Can the Falcon 9 upper stage land on the Moon?
How does the Falcon 9 upper stage land on Earth?
If the Falcon 9 upper stage cannot currently land on Earth, what would it take to give it that ability?
Is it technically feasible? I assume it must be because others than SpaceX have landed on the Moon.
In reading my question, I realized you might be thinking of the first stage as a Moon lander,. and that is why you suggested sending the stage to orbit using a Starship?
May I have your permission to revise my question? Can the Falcon 9 first stage land on the Moon?
Does the Falcon 9 use GPS to know it's position when it is landing? Does it use radio signals from the ground at the landing site to help it determine it's position?
Does the software in the Falcon 9 first stage use the force of gravity in computing burns?
Would the software have to be modified?
These are all interesting questions that our readers might appreciate your investigating.
There are really two questions there, because your post specifically suggests the second stage.
Question? Why would you not make Lunar Landers out of Falcon 9 2nd Stages?
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