Search found 267 matches

by zapkitty
Thu Jul 29, 2010 12:34 am
Forum: General
Topic: High Speed Rail
Replies: 37
Views: 13505

Hmmm... use existing track and switching systems... hovercraft efficiencies over steel wheels on rails depend on smooth surfaces... alternating railway ties and gravel ballast ain't exactly the poster child for smooth surfaces... beats barnacles, though... hovering on air cushions over the rails the...
by zapkitty
Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:54 pm
Forum: News
Topic: NewSpace 2010: Polywell and Vasimr
Replies: 149
Views: 53917

As to why the concept has legs despite the quite possibly insurmountable challenges... With a space elevator, materials might be sent into orbit at a fraction of the current cost. As of 2000, conventional rocket designs cost about $11,000 per pound ($25,000 per kilogram) for transfer to geostationa...
by zapkitty
Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:09 am
Forum: General
Topic: High Speed Rail
Replies: 37
Views: 13505

As for hovertrains... what about the noise? People ain't gonna like living near a train track where the trains literally can't turn their horns off. Assuming the noise issue is resolved then the best option would be one that uses existing track systems... which by inference pretty much solves the gu...
by zapkitty
Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:50 am
Forum: General
Topic: High Speed Rail
Replies: 37
Views: 13505

pro bono promo, so please pardon the spam :) "Code Three" was recently included in the anthology The World Turned Upside Down , put out by Baen Books, which collects SF stories that had a real impact on editors and authors. Baen books http://baen.com Baen's ebook site http://www.webscription.net/ Fr...
by zapkitty
Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:06 pm
Forum: General
Topic: High Speed Rail
Replies: 37
Views: 13505

Ah, yes... HoverBolos :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zubr_class_LCAC Fair the propulsion fans into the hull with propfan tech, swap the cargo for VLS cells, solid-state laser CIWS and heavier armor... and you too can rule the Baltic! :) Or, on a more peaceful note, the hover freighters from Clarke'...
by zapkitty
Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:02 am
Forum: Design
Topic: _f
Replies: 30
Views: 15523

I'm sorry but that will not work. Insufficient quantumivity. What are you talking about? Of course there is enough quantumivity, else what causes the Flachwichsernlung emissions? It depends on whether you're referring to transverse or longitudinal quantumivity (neither of which should be confused w...
by zapkitty
Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:00 pm
Forum: General
Topic: nerve signals
Replies: 5
Views: 2297

If you're using a polywell to power it then size-wise you're talking more about a Jagd Mirage than a standard M.I. suit... a DPF could get you down into the Gundam/ Mortar Headd range, though... But if you swap treads for legs then a DPF could power a large MBT and of course several DPFs or a polywe...
by zapkitty
Sun Jul 25, 2010 6:59 pm
Forum: Design
Topic: _f
Replies: 30
Views: 15523

I'm sorry but that will not work. Insufficient quantumivity.
by zapkitty
Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:10 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Lawaranceville E-Newsletter
Replies: 880
Views: 530190

Hmmm? Where did you read that? Last post from them was about their presentation at ICOPS... http://focusfusion.org/index.php/site/article/lpp_presents_at_icops/ ... and in that post the only item mentioned that could be construed as a "problem" is that some, but not all, of their shots are generatin...
by zapkitty
Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:29 am
Forum: Design
Topic: Using atmosphere as propellant
Replies: 151
Views: 152800

It all depends on your parameters, of course, but is an arc the best way of transfering MWe to MWt to kN? I'd wonder if, given the known efficiency of impellers in converting MWe to kN, if it might be more efficient to accept the downconversion mass penalty and just use blades until you're going fas...
by zapkitty
Mon Jul 19, 2010 6:02 am
Forum: Design
Topic: Magrid Vs electrically biased grid
Replies: 83
Views: 44390

Could the standoffs have intermediate supports without them getting in the way in turn? Supports that would reduce the cantilevering by creating load paths connecting the standoffs with each other and the chamber walls?
by zapkitty
Sat Jul 17, 2010 11:22 pm
Forum: Design
Topic: Using atmosphere as propellant
Replies: 151
Views: 152800

Yes well, the best study I've seen of this portion of the issue was a study done at AFRL on fusion drives. IIRC, what they were proposing was a trimodal operation where one uses the alphas in all three modes. How did they transition the alphas from vacuum chamber to engine chamber? Or am I in error...
by zapkitty
Sat Jul 17, 2010 5:05 am
Forum: General
Topic: 2010:warmest year ever since records began
Replies: 547
Views: 102610

The effect is good news for craft in low earth orbit, as a puffed up thermosphere decays satellite orbits quickly. The effect is usually due to UV radiation from the Sun, but the observed collapse is about six times more severe than the Sun's recent quiet behavior can explain. Craft yes. Orbital de...
by zapkitty
Fri Jul 16, 2010 3:37 pm
Forum: Implications
Topic: Project FOOF - Declassified!
Replies: 30
Views: 50771

Relevant news for polywell deployment in space: Senate Authorization Committee puts forth the Congressional counter to President Obama's FY '11 budget. http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1007/15senate/ Essentially skips the Ares I boondoggle, restores Orion to its original deep-space parameters and goe...
by zapkitty
Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:17 am
Forum: General
Topic: VASIMR
Replies: 127
Views: 32755

All you have to do to defeat the Carnot limit is to throw sufficient quantities of buzzwords such as "quantum" and "nano" at it... :)