On Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:26:45 -0700, John Schilling <schillin@spock.usc.edu> wrote: >"Electric Propulsion" is the generic term for all the various sorts >of ion thrusters, plasma thrusters, colloid thrusters, arcjets, and >other such gadgets. For example, the technical conference that kept >me away from usenet the past two weeks was the "International Electric >Propulsion Conference". It's assumed that there will be sufficient >context to distinguish between electric propulsion for spacecraft and, >say, electric propulsion for automobiles or submarines. So is a Bussard ramjet electric or nuclear propulsion? Or both? Jasper
Jasper Janssen <jasper@jjanssen.org> wrote: >John Schilling <schillin@spock.usc.edu> wrote: >>"Electric Propulsion" is the generic term for all the various sorts >>of ion thrusters, plasma thrusters, colloid thrusters, arcjets, and >>other such gadgets. For example, the technical conference that kept >>me away from usenet the past two weeks was the "International Electric >>Propulsion Conference". It's assumed that there will be sufficient >>context to distinguish between electric propulsion for spacecraft and, >>say, electric propulsion for automobiles or submarines. > >So is a Bussard ramjet electric or nuclear propulsion? Or both? Don't we have to get a working one before we classify it? Dave "slightly depressed when I found out it wouldn't actually work as described due to not-enough-fuel-available" DeLaney -- \/David DeLaney posting from dbd@vic.com "It's not the pot that grows the flower It's not the clock that slows the hour The definition's plain for anyone to see Love is all it takes to make a family" - R&P. VISUALIZE HAPPYNET VRbeable<BLINK> http://www.vic.com/~dbd/ - net.legends FAQ & Magic / I WUV you in all CAPS! --K.
On Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:20:57 -0400, dbd@gatekeeper.vic.com (David DeLaney) wrote: >Jasper Janssen <jasper@jjanssen.org> wrote: >>John Schilling <schillin@spock.usc.edu> wrote: >>>"Electric Propulsion" is the generic term for all the various sorts >>>of ion thrusters, plasma thrusters, colloid thrusters, arcjets, and >>>other such gadgets. For example, the technical conference that kept >>>me away from usenet the past two weeks was the "International Electric >>>Propulsion Conference". It's assumed that there will be sufficient >>>context to distinguish between electric propulsion for spacecraft and, >>>say, electric propulsion for automobiles or submarines. >> >>So is a Bussard ramjet electric or nuclear propulsion? Or both? > >Don't we have to get a working one before we classify it? Nah. > >Dave "slightly depressed when I found out it wouldn't actually work as > described due to not-enough-fuel-available" DeLaney Isn't that just a matter of how large you make the scoopfield? Or is the problem that you run into an unfavorable ratio between energy put into making magnetic fields versus energy collected from the fusion? jasper
