Magnetic / Electric sail propulsion ?

[scotter59]

Magnetic Sail, M2P2, Advanced Electric Propulsion, A New Kind of Solar Storm, Hitching a Ride on a Magnetic Bubble. Then there are these articles To Mars and back in 90 days? 2004 and MIT instrument finds surprises at solar system's edge 2007 Hypography.

 

Has there been any more work on this concept, just curious as to whether there have been any more advances with it. I was impressed with Dr. Winglee's work but have not heard more on it.... :shrug:

 

If I understand what I have read is that electric and magnetic fields pervade space, between the planets. There are also the solar storms, it would seem that following up with some of Dr. Winglee's work would be worth the effort. A spaceship riding the lines of force running between Earth and Jupiter for example.....

[Moontanman]

I have been along time fan of these concepts, such a space craft, even a very large one could conceivably sail to the stars and allow the slow colonization of the galaxy. I think they would work very well with the concept of a rotating torus shaped space craft that generates artificial gravity with centrifugal force and allows humans to live on the inside surface possible even in a very open expansive earth like environment. Magnetic sails would seem to work very well with this concept, a space colony here in the solar system that could move around might become a generational ship to the stars under the correct circumstances...

[scotter59]

I have been along time fan of these concepts, such a space craft, even a very large one could conceivably sail to the stars and allow the slow colonization of the galaxy. I think they would work very well with the concept of a rotating torus shaped space craft that generates artificial gravity with centrifugal force and allows humans to live on the inside surface possible even in a very open expansive earth like environment. Magnetic sails would seem to work very well with this concept, a space colony here in the solar system that could move around might become a generational ship to the stars under the correct circumstances...

 

Rama and Ringworld...

 

Tacking back to Earth might be a problem but I have not heard much about it since early Dr. Winglee and some articles posted here. By this time I would have expected some experiments being run, a couple of magnetic sail travelers following Pioneer 10.

[Moontanman]

Rama and Ringworld...

 

Tacking back to Earth might be a problem but I have not heard much about it since early Dr. Winglee and some articles posted here. By this time I would have expected some experiments being run, a couple of magnetic sail travelers following Pioneer 10.

 

The main problem would be powering it, solar power is not going to cut it even close to the earth much less far away.

[scotter59]

The main problem would be powering it, solar power is not going to cut it even close to the earth much less far away.

 

Good point, nuclear ?

[Moontanman]

Good point, nuclear ?

 

Nuclear is the only option I can think of.

[CraigD]

Tacking back to Earth might be a problem but I have not heard much about it since early Dr. Winglee and some articles posted here.

You gotta be careful about taking the light sail spacecraft – sail boat analogy too literally!

 

Light sail-propelled spacecraft don’t need to tack to move toward the sun, nor are they running or reaching when they move outward. Like all spacecraft to date, when beyond the gravitational domain (Hill sphere) of a planet or large moon, they need only angle their reflective “sail” to produce a force with direction the same or opposite to their velocity relative to the Sun, which is nearly perpendicular to radius drawn to the Sun, allowing them to enter a more elliptical transfer orbit. Assuming it has enough force to complete the change in orbit, a lightsail craft must increase its speed continuously during the half of the transfer orbit required to move from a lower orbit (eg: Earth’s) to a higher (eg: Mars’s). To move from a higher orbit to a lower, it must decrease its speed.

 

Changing its position in the orbit to intercept a planet or other body complicates the calculation, but, though (considerable! – if I can get back to work user-friendly-izing something like my XGRAVSIM4, I should be able to do these sorts without too much effort :eek2:) more complicated to calculate than the usual Hohmann maneuver, where a large acceleration occurs for a brief duration at the bottom and top of the transfer orbit, the principles of a transfer orbit are the same for this kind as for when a small acceleration occurs for a long duration, as is the case with a solar sail.

 

A key point it to understand that “first generation” solar sail craft won’t “levitate” directly away from the Sun, nor does any spacecraft require acceleration directly toward the Sun to move toward it. The solar system, including “temporary solar bodies” – ie spacecraft – is dominated by gravity, with propulsion playing only an “adjusting” role.

By this time I would have expected some experiments being run, a couple of magnetic sail travelers following Pioneer 10.

This isn’t failing to happen for lack of trying. Unfortunately, solar sail projects have had little funding, and the only true solar sail propelled spacecraft to have actually flown, the private advocacy group funded Cosmos 1, crashed into the sea when its launch vehicle failed., without reaching orbit and deploying its solar sail.

The main problem would be powering it, solar power is not going to cut it even close to the earth much less far away.

Nuclear is the only option I can think of.

Pushed only by natural sunlight, solar sail craft will be capable only of very small accelerations, requiring long times to get anywhere. However, natural sunlight is not the only possible means of pushing a light sail. They can be pushed by artificial or artificially focused light (or other EM radiation, such as microwave) beams. Though the most well known studies and hard science fictional explorations (eg: 1985’s Rocheworld) of beam propelled light sails have concentrated on their application to interstellar travel, the physics is well-applicable to interplanetary and even planetary orbital propulsion.

 

Though this requires much greater space engineering – giant lasers, lenses, etc. – it avoids a severe problem inescapably inherent to all rocket-propelled spacecraft – chemical, nuclear, or even more powerful – the need to carry their fuel and reaction mass.

[Moontanman]

CraigD, I think you need to reread the links, we are talking about magnetic/electric sails, not light sails.

[scotter59]

CraigD, I think you need to reread the links, we are talking about magnetic/electric sails, not light sails.

 

Yes, magnetic/electric field sails such as proposed by Dr. Winglee ... using the solar wind would be interesting. Wonder if the energy provided by solar activity could be tapped into, light is not the only thing emitted by the sun.

 

Was also considering something more direct, if fields extend between the planets why not tap into them, ride these fields like a particle....