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Subject: 
Re: Hypothetical design question
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.space
Date: 
Tue, 24 Jun 2003 23:24:14 GMT
Viewed: 
419 times
  
In lugnet.space, Sylvia Tresto wrote:
Okay, just something I thought of while fiddling with my LEGO: An aerodynamic
desigh is only handy in atmosphere and not necessary in space, right? I remember
it from physics lessons and some posts in this newsgroup. But space is not a
true vaccuum, is it? There is all sorts of stuff out there, even if it is only
on a molecular or atomic level. So if a spaceship had a revolutionary drive
which would allow it to travel close to lightspeed (let's stay true to Einstein
and assume faster is no option) it should be very aerodynamic or its would
sustain heavy damage from even the smallest of particles out there. Am I right
or have I completely overlooked something?

Love, Sylvi


I have a way you could avoid the whole problem all together using real physics.
I think I read this somewhere before in doing my own research on space travel.
It involved firing an ionizing beam like microwaves or something in front of the
ship.  This would heat up and ionize any particles(mostly hydrogen) in the ships
path.  Once the particles were ionized a magnetic field can be used used to push
them out of the way.  With this you don't have to worry about particles hitting
your ship at all.  I believe it also mentioned that a more intense beam could
vaporize larger particles for ionization.  Just equip your ship with one of
these and it won't matter what shape your ship is.


"I have never encountered anything that couldn't be modeled out of Lego"
-Stephen Pakbaz



Message is in Reply To:
  Hypothetical design question
 
Okay, just something I thought of while fiddling with my LEGO: An aerodynamic desigh is only handy in atmosphere and not necessary in space, right? I remember it from physics lessons and some posts in this newsgroup. But space is not a true vaccuum, (...) (21 years ago, 23-Jun-03, to lugnet.space)

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