Posts by Martin Budden 2493 publicly visible posts • joined 27 Apr 2007
"Its not just expensive, it *more* expensive ... when compared to a fully featured suite for conducting meetings over the internet or building a transcontinental rail link that can carry people in comfort rather than cubic-close-packed. The long-term future of mass transit by air is already doubtful."
Don't be silly. I can't go on holiday overseas* using the internet or a transcontinental rail link, and boats are too slow. Nor can I visit my relatives using any of those things. I'll always want/need to fly. Millions will agree with me. The long-term future of mass transit by air is ensured.
*The important part of the word 'overseas' is 'sea'.
"accuracy measured in feet with existing technology"
Really? When stuff falls out of space the estimates of point of impact are generally given +/- a couple of hundred kilometres. I understand that a neat pole shape is more predictable than an irregular satellite, even so the main issue is that the altitude of the top of the drag-significant part of the atmosphere varies a lot in an unpredictable manner over very short periods of time.
I might give it a go next year. At today's exchange rate 5 quid is $7.58, which buys a lot of food at Aldi, plus at this time of year I have a ton of home-grown veggies from the autumn harvest, and I bake my own bread with bulk-bag flour, so it should be pretty easy. In fact I suspect I'm already doing it most days without even realising. Admittedly that's not counting beer, but home-brew is cheap and effective!
The very big and very obvious one in the Reg article's pic is filled with snow. No molten lava here.
There is a secondary cone rising out of (and obliterating) the rim of the very big and very obvious crater, on the left-bottom part of the big one's rim. At the peak of this secondary cone there is a teensy-weensy little crater which can just be seen as a small black dot on the shadow-line just up and right of the top of the labelled lava flow.
I've said it before and I'll say it again...
Several thousand lightweight mirror satellites spread out in orbits around earth, so that reflected sunlight from several hundred at a time can be directed onto one side of a piece of junk. This is basically Archimedes' Death Ray IN SPAAACE!
Because each mirror satellite is lightweight (less than 1kg) and compact when folded, several thousand can be sent up with a single launch, making the project affordable (in space terms anyway).
Each satellite consists of the following:
- A triangular foldable foil mirror a few metres across (think of those survival blankets, they are even called space blankets!)
- three long carbon fibre tent poles, one to each corner of the mirror, and joined with springs in the centre so the mirror is unfolded and stretched taut when the poles are released
- small solar panel & battery (not much juice needed)
- three small motors set at right angles to each other to change the orientation of the satellite
- control microchip
- radio receiver
De-orbiting is an active process which involves applying force to slow an object enough for it to drop into a low enough orbit that atmospheric drag takes over and finishes the job. Items of space junk do not carry their own propulsion systems to apply the necessary slowing force (new satellites do, it's in the rules these days). Pushing an object with a laser from below isn't going to slow it.
There is no way Branson should allow his kids (or anyone else's kids) to go up in this thing. Rockety stuff is inherently dangerous - just ask the six people involved in the 2007 explosion (although three of those people can't answer, ever). Adults are capable of making a rational decision as to whether or not to risk fiery death (e.g. Branson has chosen Yes, Shatner has chosen No). Children are not capable of making that decision for themselves rationally and therefore they cannot give informed consent - which means they should not be allowed to go up.
Just imagine if that study linking aluminium to Alzheimer's was the only such study done, because others weren't allowed to "duplicate" the research.
Just imagine if that study linking vaccinations to Autism was the only such study done, because others weren't allowed to "duplicate" the research.
This guy is a numpty of the highest order. He has absolutely no clue, yet at the same time he has absolute confidence in his own opinions - a dangerous combination.
Zmodem, I looked at your setup and I can see that the motor, regulator, inverter all have cooling vents and fins. Those cooling vents and fins are there because energy in the system is being lost to heat. That heat loss is the clue as to why it won't work.
Your claim of "infinate endless power" from a system which is "perpetual" is a very extraordinary claim. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, so please build one and demonstrate a working system. I'll bet you double the construction cost of the system that you can't make it work. Seriously.
If I'm charging at home I want it to charge slowly while I'm asleep, no grid overload from that.
For highway recharging stations the answer will have to be fatter transmission lines to the highway recharging stations. Admittedly this will add something to the capital cost but I hope this will be offset by the lack of any refuelling tankers like we currently have going to all petrol stations twice a week.
Find a badge reel strong enough to hold the entire truss+rocket.
During ascent the reel is extended and the contact is open.
During turbulence there is enough length in the reel to allow for bumpiness without the contact closing.
When the balloon bursts the reel zings back in and the contact closes, launching the rocket.
p.s. Thanks to Alan Esworthy for the inspiration. If I have reeled further than others etc...
Very ggo! May I suggest a small modification?
Find a badge reel strong enough to hold the entire truss+rocket and replace a section of the main balloon tether with the badge reel. During ascent the reel is extended and the contact is open. During turbulence there is enough length in the reel to allow for bumpiness without the contact closing. When the balloon bursts the reel zooms back in and the contact closes, launching the rocket.
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