Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!GACVAX1.BITNET!SCOTT From: SCOTT@GACVAX1.BITNET (Scott Hess) Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Space applications of cold fusion Message-ID: Date: 3 Apr 89 21:14:00 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 29 What with all of the speculation on this new cold-fusion, I was thinking of its applications to space. Beyond using it for power while in orbit, and on the ground, I was wondering on ways to use it in launching. I can think of a bunch of ways: atomic ramjets, launching tracks (accelerate it up to escape velocity, and let it go), vertical launching tracks (same idea, but tracks pointing up instead of horizontally - requires alot more acceleration), one of those solid elevator things from Arthur C. Clarke's "Fountains of Paridise". One device I've read about in Jerry Pournelle's "High Justice" used lasers. It seems that a powerful ground-based laser is fired into a cavity at the bottom of the spacecraft. It is pulsed on and off, at a high speed. The cavity is vented in such a way that it draws in air. The laser heats the air very quickly, so the air pushes out the bottom, propelling the craft. Then more air is brought in ... Basically a ramjet with half the engine ground-based. I believe that I read elsewhere that Pournelle is on an advisory commitee to the president, and the original proposal for SDI called for large ground-based lasers, and orbiting mirrors. Besides being simpler and easier to maintain, this setup could be used with the above scheme to launch. My basic question is this: Does this work? I think that an upward force can be exerted, but is it enough? This only can work where there is enough atmosphere, so it would have to be able to aquire a pretty good acceleration. In the book it seems the acceleration was 10G, for about 30s. I don't know if that's enough. Also, unmanned pods got something like 30G. This seems a bit high, to me. Scott Hess,