3 ms·
Previously theorized by Charlie Stross in a significantly more fanciful, but riveting take: https://www.tor.com/2012/07/20/a-tall-tail/ https://www.tor.com/2012
by paulgerhardt 9y ago
Previously theorized by Charlie Stross in a significantly more fanciful, but riveting take: https://www.tor.com/2012/07/20/a-tall-tail/ https://www.tor.com/2012/07/20/a-tall-tail/
- le-mark 9y agoThat was new to me, thanks! Excellent example of pulling several plausible ideas into one outlandish tale. Sure, it’s a devil’s brew, but who wouldn’t say no to a specific impulse on the order of twelve thousand? That kind of Isp is great for interplanetory/interstellar cruising, not so much for getting off the pad. That's why ion engines aren't used to get to orbit; thrust to weight matters when starting from zero m/s.
- Zaak 9y agoIsp just says how efficient you are at turning reaction mass into delta-v. Nuclear rockets can attain both high Isp and high thrust.
- rurban 9y agoHow much truth is there in it? Did they lie about their experiment?