The Perfect Spacecraft

[the_big_m_in_ok]

onthecuttingedge2005 said:

As state of the art gets better, I think it would be more like this RADAR Array system except way more advanced, Nuclear Powered...

>>Yes, nuclear powered.  Adding a nuclear power source to a VASIMR thruster arrangement was in at least one source as being able to reduce thrust/power to mass ratio by at least 10:1 .  It would still need to be assembled in space, and carry plenty of fuel in the spaceship tanks.
(I'm at a library, so all I can suggest now is to GOOGLize, "plasma thruster"  "power source" and "nuclear".   I believe I'll have more time this evening to research papers & reports from Gov't or academic sources and give you the 'Web addresse(s).

@all,
Later re-edit:
Have a look at this:  http://www.ornl.gov/sci/fed/summer00/smith.pdf

This paper deals with the VASIMR exclusively, but I still think adding a nuclear---or even a reliable fusion reactor---to power it will improve the overall power/mass ratio noticeably.
--Lee
the_big_m_in_ok

[triffid]

test

[triffid]

A lakhovsky coil could be used to generate electricity in deep space since its powered by radiowaves and cosmic rays.It would help us to "feed off the Land "as it were.You tap into them by induction.Triffid

[onthecuttingedge2005]

A lakhovsky coil could be used to generate electricity in deep space since its powered by radiowaves and cosmic rays.It would help us to "feed off the Land "as it were.You tap into them by induction.Triffid

Hi triffid.

can the lakhovsky coil idle at 1MW, how big would the lakhovsky coil have to be to idle at 1MW?

I haven't found to much details about it.

Jerry

[triffid]

www.copperhealth.com gives a lot of details on how to make and use lakhovsky coils.They are low powered but they could last for hundreds of years if not longer.I believe they could be used to power up capacitors which could be tapped to perform useful work.The largest I ever made was 25 feet in diameter.I did not have a good enough voltmeter to measure anything but I could feel a benefit from wearing these coils on my body(much smaller than 25 feet of course).To me they might be a power source that we need to examine more.Afterall cosmic rays and radiowaves seem to be everywhere in the know universe even if there is no strong sunlight present.Triffid