Next Big Future: Surprise Lockheed Figured out how to make hyperson...: The SR-71 Blackbird was retired from U.S. Air Force service almost two decades ago, the perennial question has been: Will it ever be succee...
I don't see the point of this plane. Perhaps if it were fitted with a laser, it could shoot down something. But that would require a power source. Where would the power come from?
Al Fin: "Cowboy Commentary", aka "Eat your veggies" The Flag banner is posted in order to defy those who would make patriotic symbols illegal or disreputable.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Strategy for mining an asteroid, part XXVI
Previous
After all the previous considerations of how to reduce mass, it appears that a mission may be possible with a smaller sail. There could be a mission to Deimos, for example. Samples could be taken, and then returned to Earth. It could be a manned mission.
The configuration would require a Gemini type payload of about 8000 lbs. The sail would have to be a high-performance sail with sail loading ( without payload ) of just 1 g/m2. Making a larger sail would allow a greater payload.
Of course, a high-performance sail implies construction in space. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be interested in this idea. The assumption being made is that a sail like this could be made in space in the near future. Another assumption is the use of my ideas for reducing mass for the sail and payload. Those ideas rely upon the near future availability of bulk graphene at an affordable price, lower launch prices, and 3D printing techniques in space ( SpiderFab). Another assumption could be that a mission to bring an asteroid back to a lunar LaGrange point will have been approved and executed. Not only executed, but extended to support a mission to Deimos via a space sail--- the moon will provide the aluminum for the sail.
Here's a spreadsheet of the calculations
Next
After all the previous considerations of how to reduce mass, it appears that a mission may be possible with a smaller sail. There could be a mission to Deimos, for example. Samples could be taken, and then returned to Earth. It could be a manned mission.
The configuration would require a Gemini type payload of about 8000 lbs. The sail would have to be a high-performance sail with sail loading ( without payload ) of just 1 g/m2. Making a larger sail would allow a greater payload.
Of course, a high-performance sail implies construction in space. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be interested in this idea. The assumption being made is that a sail like this could be made in space in the near future. Another assumption is the use of my ideas for reducing mass for the sail and payload. Those ideas rely upon the near future availability of bulk graphene at an affordable price, lower launch prices, and 3D printing techniques in space ( SpiderFab). Another assumption could be that a mission to bring an asteroid back to a lunar LaGrange point will have been approved and executed. Not only executed, but extended to support a mission to Deimos via a space sail--- the moon will provide the aluminum for the sail.
Here's a spreadsheet of the calculations
 |
| Destination Delta V not indicated here, but Deimos wouldn't be too much different than this. The top calculation is for a sail of 2 km square on each side This configuation is for mining. The bottom one is for one about 800 meters on each side. |
Next
A Power Plant on Every Street | MIT Technology Review
A Power Plant on Every Street | MIT Technology Review
Quote:
Quote:
In the long term, the technology could even be put into hybrid vehicles to charge their batteries, since it is both lighter than an internal-combustion engine and more efficient at producing electricity.[emphasis mine]Whoa! This is something to watch. If it is lighter than an ICE and it isn't too big and bulky, this would certainly work in an automobile. It still uses a fossil fuel, still emits carbon, so that would have to be addressed.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Strategy for mining an asteroid, part XXV
Previous
The last post looked at the spacesuit. One thing that I found was that the human body doesn't cover that much in surface area. According to this, an average of less than 2 square meters. It so happens that an Iron Man suit may be possible with only 400 lbs worth of tungsten for the radiation shield. Is that correct? I need to double check that. Yes, it looks correct.
With that little in mass, we may go with a truly Iron Man look. No to the medieval look. Somehow, incorporate the tungsten into the carbon fiber, or just place it on top of it. You can look cool, like the Iron Man. Now with the suit 50% protected against gamma radiation and pressurized, it may need some more attention paid to ergonomics. For a long term mission, ergonomics has to be considered. Considered, but not emphasized. This mission will require a spartan treatment. Mass is the big enemy, but looking cool doesn't cost any mass, or doesn't have to.
Although it is a suit that can allow movement, is it comfortable? What about body heat? It needs a climate control. It also needs a way "to go". The suit has to worn constantly---it can't be taken off except once a day, perhaps. It won't even be possible take it off to go the restroom. The suit will have to take care of that. It all has to be kept simple and lightweight. How do you scratch an itch? Good question.
The space hab is going to require more oxygen than I thought. Looks like a few thousand pounds. It doesn't have to be pressurized all the time. Just for access to the entire hab. Once it is finished, it can be depressurized.
It looks like the mass of the suits and the hab can be kept down considerably. Perhaps artificial gravity can be reconsidered? A 10 meter in radius sphere could provide up to Martian gravitation at 6 RPM, if my math is right. The worry before was vibration, but at less than a thousand pounds for the radiation protection, this may not be such a big deal after all.
Update:
I've been thinking about this and have decided that this is enough research for now. A suit is possible, in my opinion.
As a reference, I include the following links
Next
The last post looked at the spacesuit. One thing that I found was that the human body doesn't cover that much in surface area. According to this, an average of less than 2 square meters. It so happens that an Iron Man suit may be possible with only 400 lbs worth of tungsten for the radiation shield. Is that correct? I need to double check that. Yes, it looks correct.
With that little in mass, we may go with a truly Iron Man look. No to the medieval look. Somehow, incorporate the tungsten into the carbon fiber, or just place it on top of it. You can look cool, like the Iron Man. Now with the suit 50% protected against gamma radiation and pressurized, it may need some more attention paid to ergonomics. For a long term mission, ergonomics has to be considered. Considered, but not emphasized. This mission will require a spartan treatment. Mass is the big enemy, but looking cool doesn't cost any mass, or doesn't have to.
Although it is a suit that can allow movement, is it comfortable? What about body heat? It needs a climate control. It also needs a way "to go". The suit has to worn constantly---it can't be taken off except once a day, perhaps. It won't even be possible take it off to go the restroom. The suit will have to take care of that. It all has to be kept simple and lightweight. How do you scratch an itch? Good question.
The space hab is going to require more oxygen than I thought. Looks like a few thousand pounds. It doesn't have to be pressurized all the time. Just for access to the entire hab. Once it is finished, it can be depressurized.
It looks like the mass of the suits and the hab can be kept down considerably. Perhaps artificial gravity can be reconsidered? A 10 meter in radius sphere could provide up to Martian gravitation at 6 RPM, if my math is right. The worry before was vibration, but at less than a thousand pounds for the radiation protection, this may not be such a big deal after all.
Update:
I've been thinking about this and have decided that this is enough research for now. A suit is possible, in my opinion.
As a reference, I include the following links
- bursa
- Mercury (element)
- Half-Value Layer Calculation
- Transmitted Intensity and Linear Attenuation Coefficient
- Mass attenuation coefficient
- Half-Value Layer
- Is there a compound denser than the densest element?
Strategy for mining an asteroid, part XXIV
Previous
Good news and bad news. The bad news was reported earlier today. The good news is that tungsten is better than lead for shielding, plus less toxicity. The coffins can be made smaller and lighter.
An idea just flashed in my mind. What if you made an Iron Man spacesuit made of graphene and tungsten? It could give some radiation protection and could be pressurized when necessary. An astronaut can move about inside his Iron man suit and not have to be confined to his coffin.
Tungsten is has a half thickness of about half that of lead. So, 1 cm of lead would provide 50% shielding, whereas .5 cm of tungsten could do the same. Now if that much tungsten could somehow be woven into a fabric with graphene as a base... Just brainstorming, here.... The goal would be protection with some flexibility for easier movement.
The Iron Man suit would have sheets of tungsten that would fit over each other in a smooth way so as to allow movement. Inside the tungsten outer shell, an inner shell of pressurized graphene would finish the suit. The human body requires atmospheric pressure, that's what the graphene inner shell accomplishes.
Back to the bad news. It seems that 3554 Amun is ruled out, but not necessarily 1986 DA, the other $20 trillion rock. 3554 Amun delta v is over 10 km/sec, while 1986 DA is around 7 km/sec. That's slightly more than a Mars rendezvous from LEO. It's more of a challenge, but 1986 DA could still support a Mars colony as indicated in an earlier post.
There's going to be a need for propellant after all. I was thinking we might get around that altogether, but that may not be in the cards. If we are going to need propellant, then we definitely need in situ resourcing. Proponents say it is a game-changer. I'd say so. If you can fill up at numerous locations instead of having to carry it all in one shot, it does simplify things enormously.
A light weight protective suit may help with propellant type missions as well. The goal, besides mining asteroids, is to be able to stay in space for long periods. The suit can help with that objective, too. The idea of making very large stations still makes the mass problem too large to solve reasonably. Thus, if you can protect astronauts with a minimum of mass, all the better. For example, let's say you want to make a sphere of 1 cubic mile of air as a radiation shield. The calculations for the amount of gas need give a prohibitively large number ( 1 cu mile of oxygen masses at 6,056,144,310 kg !!!) even for the mass of the gas in that proposition. No large structures are going to be possible. You need small structures, like a space suit.
Update:
It might have something like the look of medieval armor. A chain mail exterior made of tungsten over a carbon fiber body that can be pressurized. The inside of the carbon fiber could be a graphene pressurized covering that pushes against the carbon fiber body and the skin. The loosely fitting chain mail could allow freedom of movement, while the carbon fiber body could be shaped into human form without adding too much mass nor be too restrictive in bodily movements.
Next
Good news and bad news. The bad news was reported earlier today. The good news is that tungsten is better than lead for shielding, plus less toxicity. The coffins can be made smaller and lighter.
An idea just flashed in my mind. What if you made an Iron Man spacesuit made of graphene and tungsten? It could give some radiation protection and could be pressurized when necessary. An astronaut can move about inside his Iron man suit and not have to be confined to his coffin.
Tungsten is has a half thickness of about half that of lead. So, 1 cm of lead would provide 50% shielding, whereas .5 cm of tungsten could do the same. Now if that much tungsten could somehow be woven into a fabric with graphene as a base... Just brainstorming, here.... The goal would be protection with some flexibility for easier movement.
The Iron Man suit would have sheets of tungsten that would fit over each other in a smooth way so as to allow movement. Inside the tungsten outer shell, an inner shell of pressurized graphene would finish the suit. The human body requires atmospheric pressure, that's what the graphene inner shell accomplishes.
Back to the bad news. It seems that 3554 Amun is ruled out, but not necessarily 1986 DA, the other $20 trillion rock. 3554 Amun delta v is over 10 km/sec, while 1986 DA is around 7 km/sec. That's slightly more than a Mars rendezvous from LEO. It's more of a challenge, but 1986 DA could still support a Mars colony as indicated in an earlier post.
There's going to be a need for propellant after all. I was thinking we might get around that altogether, but that may not be in the cards. If we are going to need propellant, then we definitely need in situ resourcing. Proponents say it is a game-changer. I'd say so. If you can fill up at numerous locations instead of having to carry it all in one shot, it does simplify things enormously.
A light weight protective suit may help with propellant type missions as well. The goal, besides mining asteroids, is to be able to stay in space for long periods. The suit can help with that objective, too. The idea of making very large stations still makes the mass problem too large to solve reasonably. Thus, if you can protect astronauts with a minimum of mass, all the better. For example, let's say you want to make a sphere of 1 cubic mile of air as a radiation shield. The calculations for the amount of gas need give a prohibitively large number ( 1 cu mile of oxygen masses at 6,056,144,310 kg !!!) even for the mass of the gas in that proposition. No large structures are going to be possible. You need small structures, like a space suit.
Update:
It might have something like the look of medieval armor. A chain mail exterior made of tungsten over a carbon fiber body that can be pressurized. The inside of the carbon fiber could be a graphene pressurized covering that pushes against the carbon fiber body and the skin. The loosely fitting chain mail could allow freedom of movement, while the carbon fiber body could be shaped into human form without adding too much mass nor be too restrictive in bodily movements.
Next
3554 Amun delta v can be found here
NASA has a list of delta v's for all the Near Earth Asteroids, of which 3554 Amun is one. It turns out to have a higher delta v than 1986 DA. That surprises me. I expected the delta v to be much more modest.
This changes things. What started out as a simple trip is now a much more challenging one.
This changes things. What started out as a simple trip is now a much more challenging one.
Get ready for this
Published on Zero Hedge (http://www.zerohedge.com)
UBS On The Importance Of 3D Printing
By Tyler Durden
Created 10/31/2013 - 20:22
Over a year ago we discussed the "next Industrial Revolution" [1] and where it might appear from. 3D printers were envisioned among Goldman's top disruptive themes [2] earlier this year and as UBS notes, 3D printing – or additive manufacturing – has been catching investors' imaginations in recent months. Some commentators have suggested the technology has the potential to literally transform the world economy and dismantle global supply chains; while UBS points out that, others have suggested the technology is hyped and has little promise beyond a few niche product areas in manufacturing. The truth, Andrew Cates believes, probably lies somewhere in between but he is nevertheless more sympathetic to those who champion the technology's disruptive – even revolutionary - qualities.
Links:
[1] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-09-23/guest-post-next-industrial-revolution
[2] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-08/goldmans-top-disruptive-themes
[1] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-09-23/guest-post-next-industrial-revolution
[2] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-08/goldmans-top-disruptive-themes
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