4 ms·
It is a theoretical "can". :-) It will be a long time before anyone use a fraction of C inside the solar system. Interstellar flight is a problem after we have
by berntb 10y ago
It is a theoretical "can". :-) It will be a long time before anyone use a fraction of C inside the solar system.
Interstellar flight is a problem after we have gotten to a reasonable cost/kg for both launching from the Earth and for interplanetary travel.
I doubt there will be a pressing need for getting close to even 100 km/s in the inner solar system for decades. (Yes yes, "640K is enough for anyone". :-) )
(Consider: An AU is 150 million km. 100 km/second means 8.64 million km a day; 2 AUs in 35 days! Then you have to lower the speed, even more energy.)
Launching an Orion from the ground is probably not realistic after the 1960s either. It would have the problem with bombs and EMP killing satellites. I've seen suggestions to coast through the sensitive zone without using bombs, but haven't seen any discussion about how many Gs it would mean...
- dalke 10y ago"I doubt there will be a pressing need for getting close to even 100 km/s in the inner solar system for decades" Quoting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Probe_Plus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Probe_Plus : > Solar Probe Plus or Solar Probe+, previously NASA Solar Probe, is a planned robotic spacecraft to probe the outer corona of the Sun. ... As the probe passes around the Sun, it will achieve a velocity of up to 200 km/s (120 mi/s) at that time making it the fastest manmade object ever, almost three times faster than the current record holder, Juno. ... Launch date: July 31, 2018 (planned).
- berntb 10y agoHe he, point. But a probe doing multiple gravity assists to get close to the sun is different from going from point A to point B -- and stopping at B. :-)