Flood,
I’m merely repeating the utterances of some of the people working in the field of advanced space propulsion.
we’ve currently got a satellite (SMART-1) going to the moon powered by Ion drive. This is not entirely new, but it is the first time it has ben used to travel interplanetary distances. Over an extended period of time the Ion engines can get you up to a fair old lick.
I didn’t say it couldn’t be done, I just haven’t seen anything about new propulsion in the industry other than the Ion engines for a while. Oh, i did just find on Google something about a “Fissioning Plasma Core Reactor”. I shall have to investigate further.
Nasa are playing with the X43 at present. The first few had problems, so they are trying again in a year or so. However, this is an atmospheric engine research program.
Anyway, I think people are starting to look at the space elevator idea a bit more seriously now. If we pull that off things will get really exciting, well exciting until the budget man cometh.
You’re going to ask about the space elevator now aren’t you ?
Well the idea is if you have a tether long enough and strong enough with a counter balance in space then the tether would remain taught and you could have elevators going up & down it saving all the current hassle of launch vehicles.
Such a system would ease construction of a space station or large spacecraft necessary for deep space travel. As I have said many times on other space related threads, alot of our progress is still dictated by the bean counters and the need to feed the masses, give them health care & a good education.
After some Googling, some articles are here,
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_elevator_030917.html
http://www.isr.us/SEConcept.asp?m=2
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