39 Esoteric propulsion schemes part3 (solar sails, lasers, fusion...)
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This article is from the Space FAQ, by Jon Leech leech@cs.unc.edu and Mark Bradford tla@surly.org with numerous contributions by others.
39 Esoteric propulsion schemes part3 (solar sails, lasers, fusion...)
MASS DRIVERS (COILGUNS, RAILGUNS)
IEEE Transactions on Magnetics contain the proceedings of the
Symposium on Electromagnetic Launcher Technology, including hundreds
of papers on the subject. It's a good look at the state of the art,
though perhaps not a good tutorial for beginners. Anybody know some
good review papers?
Vol MAG-18, No. 1, Jan 82 (EML 1)
Vol MAG-20, No. 2, Mar 84 (EML 2)
Vol MAG-22, No. 6, Nov 86 (EML 3)
Vol 25, No. 1, Jan 89 (EML 4)
Vol 27, No. 1, Jan 91 (EML 5)
Vol 29, No. 1, Jan 93 (EML 6)
NUCLEAR ROCKETS (FISSION)
"Technical Notes on Nuclear Rockets", by Bruce W. Knight and Donald
Kingsbury, unpublished. May be available from: Donald Kingsbury,
Math Dept., McGill University, PO Box 6070, Station A, Montreal,
Quebec M3C 3G1 Canada.
"An Historical Perspective of the NERVA Nuclear Rocket Engine
Technology Program", W. H. Robbins and H. B. Finger, US Government
Document #NAS 1.26:187154. Written in 1990-91 as a summary when
consideration to restarting the nuclear rocket program was being
given.
RAM ACCELERATORS
"The Ram Accelerator: A New Chemical Method of Accelerating
Projectiles to Ultrahigh Velocities" A. Hertzberg, A.P. Bruckner,
and D.W. Bogdanoff, "AIAA_Journal", Vol. 26, No. 2, February, 1988.
The seminal reference.
"The Ram Accelerator: A Chemically Driven Mass Launcher" P. Kaloupis
and A.P. Bruckner, AIAA Paper 88-2968, AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE 24th Joint
Propulsion Conference, July 11-13, 1988, Boston, MA.
Applications to surface-to-orbit launching.
"Ram Accelerator Demonstrates Potential for Hypervelocity Research,
Light Launch," Breck W. Henderson,
"Aviation_Week"&"Space_Technology", September 30, 1991, pp. 50-51.
"Beyond Rockets: the Scramaccelerator" J.W. Humphreys and T.H.
Sobota, "Aerospace_America", Vol. 29, June, 1991, pp. 18-21.
"Ramming Speed" Gregory T. Pope, "Discover", March 1994, pp. 50-55.
Non-technical articles on the status of ram accelerator
technology.
SOLAR SAILS
Starsailing. Solar Sails and Interstellar Travel. Louis Friedman,
Wiley, New York, 1988, 146 pp., paper $9.95. (Not very technical,
but an adequate overview.)
"Roundtrip Interstellar Travel Using Laser-Pushed Lightsails
(Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, vol. 21, pp. 187-95, Jan.-Feb.
1984)
TETHERS
"Tethers and Asteroids for Artificial Gravity Assist in the Solar
System," by P.A. Penzo and H.L. Mayer., "Journal of Spacecraft
and Rockets" for Jan-Feb 1986.
Details how a spacecraft with a kevlar tether of the same mass
can change its velocity by up to slightly less than 1 km/sec. if
it is travelling under that velocity wrt a suitable asteroid.
"Tethers in Space Handbook, 2nd Edition", Paul A Penzo & Paul W
Ammann. NASA Office of Advanced Program Development, 1989.
NTIS N92-19248/3 PC A12/MF A03
It may be possible to obtain this handbook from:
NASA Office of Advanced Program Development
NASA HQ Code DD
Washington, DC 20546
NASA Conference Publication 2422
Applications of Tethers in Space
Workshop Proceedings Vols 1 and 2.
[Proceedings of a workshop held in Venice, Italy, Octover 15-17, 1985]
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