cdrom600 on Jul 3, 2003 at 8:37:33 AM (# 367) This message has been edited.I just have to claim message 400. Sorry. Holophrastic on Jul 3, 2003 at 10:55:33 AM (# 368)according to einstein, it takes an infinite amount of energy not to travel at the speed of light, but to accelerate matter to the speed of light. Once you are already going at the speed of light, the energy requirements are very different. Also, for things already going the speed of light, they do not require the infinite amount of energy.
Chat Noir on Jul 3, 2003 at 11:01:33 AM (# 369)THE SPEED OF A GLASS CRACK
When glass cracks, the crack travels faster than 3,000 miles per hour. Can we harness this? Glass cracking trains? Cars? Chat Noir on Jul 3, 2003 at 11:03:20 AM (# 370)The only creature known to be killed by a meteor was a lucky dog in Nakhla, Egypt in 1911. Holophrastic on Jul 3, 2003 at 11:10:26 AM (# 371)actually, there is an underwatter torpedo technology running on this principle -- it's a warp bubble.
The idea is that the torpedo is slow because of the water resistance. But it would travel through air much quicker. And a buble of air can push through water much the way a crack pushes through glass -- efficient displacement.
So the torpedo produces an air bubble around itself -- and maintains it -- so it flies in air, and the air pushes through water. Turning without hitting the edges of the bubble is the problem because if the bubble collapses, the torpedo hits the water at a speed that rips the torpedo to pieces.
Really a great technology. Monte on Jul 3, 2003 at 12:54:07 PM (# 372)Fascinating Technology!
I think it'd be cool to try to devise another way to get the Space Shuttles into space besides the way we have now.
I have a quasi-idea, but I think it's highly unfeasable.
Here it is in a nutshell:
A 4-stage propulsion system.
Stage 1: Standard turbofan jet propulsion. The shuttle would be mounted to an aircraft and propelled to supersonic velocity.
Stage 2: Ramjet propulsion. Ramjets would then engage to propel the shuttle to near hypersonic speeds.
Stage 3: Scramjet propulsion. Scramjets would accelerate the craft even further, leading to stage 4.
Stage 4: Main Shuttle engines. Main shuttle engines would then engage, propelling the shuttle even faster, and into orbit.
Problems:
1. Implementation.
2. Jet storage (where would the ramjets & scramjets be stored?)
3. escape velocity will probably be more difficult to reach this way. ChrisRickard on Jul 3, 2003 at 1:24:44 PM (# 373)>>it's a warp bubble
I seem to recall an episode of Star Trek TNG where Wesley used warp bubles. It had nothing to do with (photon) torpedos though...
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