3 ms·

> electric motors which will certainly always be sub-sonic Why is that?

• skykooler 10y ago
  Electric motors have a top speed which is governed by the forces generated by induction. At higher speeds they spend more and more torque countering those forces. Contrast this with turbines, where a higher inlet speed translates into a higher output speed - the amount of energy a turbine uses to keep itself spinning is constant rather than proportional to airspeed. This is why electric motors would have issues flying at high speeds.
  • sliverstorm 10y ago
    Can you not simply use overdrive gearing to keep motor speed down?
    • kabdib 10y ago
      ... or spin the motor with another motor. It could be motors all the way down . . .
      • marcosdumay 10y ago
        What may still be simpler than the fusion reactor some posts up.