aa_spaceagent

Dear All,

I would like some advice and comments please on the feasibility to
mine comets in-flight on a hypothetical futuristic spaceflight mission
towards Alpha Centauri, I have outlined in this research article:-

http://uk.geocities.com/aa_spaceagen...ropulsion.html

Specific questions I have are:

Is it feasible to have a large scale robotic arm on the scale of some
2 or 3 kilometres in length that can stand the stress of gripping onto
comets whilst the ship is docking with them (gently) in-flight?

Based on the current material science advances, is this kind of
framework conceivably viable for tens of *thousands* of years on such
a long voyage well into the future? Will it be structurally robust
enough to withstand several docking maneouvres with comets?

Since the main asteroid ship is rotating, if the comets are of say
just a quarter or so the size/mass of the actual starship (the
asteroid), when gripping comets in-flight, will the spin rate of the
ship slow down too dramatically, when such a comet is gripped by the
robotic arm?

What is the best method of *steering* the starship (without affecting
its spin) so as to "pitch" it from side to side or to turn it around?
My own view would be to apply 'pulse' thrust at favourable points
during the rotation. Is it feasible to do this?

Really appreciate any thoughts on these.
Many thanks.
Abdul Ahad

MODERATOR: Please can you consider this one in a serious light. I am
getting heavy criticism on this aspect of my research article. Please
be *kind* and let my post through... (I promise I wont pester this
group again!). Cheers. Abdul.

earl colby pottinger

First Abdul Ahad you must face facts. If you come up with a bad idea, it
remains a bad idea no matter how many times you repeat it. There is nothing
wrong or shameful in changing your designs in the face of facts, other words
when life hands you lemons make lemonade.

aa_spaceagent@yahoo.co.uk (Abdul Ahad) :


http://uk.geocities.com/aa_spaceagen...ropulsion.html

Problem stop and go along a trip to any stars will really slow you down, it
is better to start with all the materials needed and just have one long
flight, the time savings are huge.

Few materials are stiff at that lenght, asking for an arm pushs material
science to the limits and beyond, what is wrong with a free flyer or a
tethered remote unit? You don't need an arm, you need a gripper - drop the
arm.


No, because even at 1% of C a trip to Alpha Centauri is less than 500 years
away. No-one is going to build your thousands of years voyage design when
there are designs that will do the same trip in just centuries. Light sails,
Orion Pulse, Nuclear fragment all will do the job a lot faster.

Do the math, not only will you slow down the rotation a lot, the stress
involved are a danger to both the arm and the main ship. Why be so much
greedy in the size of comets? Small is better, none is best.


Yes it is possible, a better design is one that needs no steering because the
course is set at the start, and only at the end of voyage do you need to move
around.


Real research looks for the answer, it does not predefine it before you even
start.

Earl Colby Pottinger


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