| STARSHIPS |
| The incredible energies of the Sun are tapped by space solar energy complexes to propell sailing starships . Energy is transmitted by microwave beams to massive lasers or particle accelerators based on Mercury or in solar orbit. It might also be possible to use miniature man-made black holes to energize propulsion beams. |
| Construction of NODES- fantastic solar energy collector complexes and propulsion beams (relativistic particle beams) for two way travel between the stars for millions of human travelers and colonists will be a project for the space civilization of 3000 A.D. or later. NODES built around hundreds of other nearby stars will allow travel throughout the space within vast distances. Robotic probes to nearby stars could launch in the 22nd century and the first manned flights by the 23rd century. Colonies will be established and nearby star systems developed with the help of AI robots so that when the time comes for two way travel for large numbers of people there will be cities, space elevators, space colonies, etc. in place. The colonists will go for the sake of adventure and new frontiers beyond our solar system. |
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| Enjoying family life aboard a Star Carrier on a five year voyage (ship time) to the Alpha Centauri tri-star system. |
| INTERSTELLAR CARRIER |
| Starships consist of 3 or 4 Bernal spheres contained in teardrop shaped outer hulls. These are Worldships with magnetic or magneto-plasma sails for high speed travel. They are a step beyond "ships," so I have given them the special designation-STAR CARRIERS |
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| ABOVE) The multi-thousand kilometer wide mag-sail cable loop will consist of sections. If a section is damaged by a meteor or collision with a rock at high velocities it will be replaced with spare cable sections by repair robots I call "spiders" that crawl along the cables. Given the high mass of the loop it will not be practical to carry an entire spare mag-sail. There will be 100+ C60 cables attaching the CARRIER to the loop so that if one or two are broken there will be plenty of attachment lines. During acceleration and deceleration the magnetic field of the sail protects the loop by deflecting paramagnetic particles, pebbles, etc. in the super cold of interstellar space. During cruise it may be possible to reel in the cable for protection. The lasers of the Shield Vehicle and Carrier itself might also protect the sail. The superconductor will consist of fibers or a ribbon of YBCO wrapped around a tube of advanced polymer containing liquid nitrogen. It will be surrounded by insulating layers of aerogel and C60 fiber fabric that protect the loop from erosion also.. Most of the ship will consist of C60 based materials and light wieght polymers rather than metals. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and silicon for the materials will come from carbonaceous asteroids, the atmosphere of Venus, even the ices of outer moons. Cooling units might be located at connection points. The vessels will be constructed in outer space. |
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| Will the entire Star Carrier brake at destination star systems and go into orbit, then be reaccelerated to .67c for return flight or travel to a more distant star system? Or will it be better to let the mighty vessel fly-by the star system and catch propulsion beams that deflect its course so that it is put on a heading to another star system farther out while the passengers board small pods that require less energy from the beams to decelerate? Travelers desiring to voyage to more distant systems could ride in pods that catch up with and dock with the Carriers. Eventually the ships would reach a terminus, brake and be propelled back the way they came. With enough ships in the circuit, efficient two way travel through the stars could be realized. See: Interstellar Shuttles |