[Rhodes22-list] How Much Energy To Launch A Payload Into Space?

[Ronald Lipton]

Well the inertial fusion laser supplies can supply 10^12 Watts (for a
picosecond).

Ron
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger Pihlaja" <cen09402 at centurytel.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 11:51 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] How Much Energy To Launch A Payload Into Space?


> Ron,
>
> Man, now we are talking about one SERIOUS bank of capacitors!  Man made
> lightening bolts indeed!
>
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ronald Lipton" <rlipton at earthlink.net>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 11:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] How Much Energy To Launch A Payload Into
Space?
>
>
> > The reason Roger's number is so high is that he is computing the power
> > needed during launch.  The reactors supply countinuous power, so the
> > comparison to reactor power is only valid if you are launching waste
> > continuously.  You would have to multiply by the launching duty factor,
> > (and then get serious about how you store and deliver the power when
> > needed, conversion efficiency, friction ...) to get a more valid
estimate.
> >
> > Ron
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Michael Meltzer" <mjm at michaelmeltzer.com>
> > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 8:11 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] How Much Energy To Launch A Payload Into
> Space?
> >
> >
> > > Are you sure, seems a couple of orders of magnum off, The "standard"
> > > rocket lunches the finial payload in that range(10 ton), but lunch
> > > weight is many times that, mostly the need to lift the fuel to get is
to
> > > the next level, the rail gun does not take the fuel along, were the
moon
> > > rockets in that energy level??? as a crosscheck?, what about the
probes
> > > they send out they are not using that type of energy budget?
> > >
> > > MJM
> > >
> > >
> > > Roger Pihlaja wrote:
> > >
> > > >Gentlemen,
> > > >
> > > >I don't think you folks appreciate how much energy it requires to
lift
> a
> > payload into space.  Just for snicks and grins, I did the following
rough
> > calculation:
> > > >
> > > >Suppose we want to be able to shoot 10 tons (9091 kg) off the earth
> into
> > the sun.  To do this, we must somehow accelerate the mass from rest up
to
> > so-called escape velocity.  Escape velocity from the earth is about
25000
> > mile/hr (11176 m/s).  Suppose we build a "rail gun" up the side of a
> > mountain.  Now, once per day, the earth's rotation will have our rail
gun
> > pointed in the correct direction to shoot a payload into the sun.  Let's
> say
> > we can build our rail gun 10 km long.  For the sake of simplicity, we
will
> > assume the acceleration in the rail gun will be constant over the entire
> 10
> > km and there are no losses due to friction, magnetic coupling,
electrical
> > resistance, etc.  How much power do we have to feed this rail gun?
> > > >
> > > >The required acceleration is 6245 m/s^2 or about 637 g's!  The
payload
> > will have to withstand this acceleration for 1.79 seconds.  The energy
> > required is 5.677E11 joules and the power is 3.172E11 watts.  That's
31720
> > megawatts!  Keep in mind that a big nuclear power plant is typically
rated
> > at around 1500 megawatts.  So, our rail gun facility needs about 211
world
> > scale nuclear power plants all operating at rated capacity to supply it
> with
> > sufficient power to launch one 10 ton payload per day into the sun.
> > > >
> > > >The power requirement for an explosive powered cannon is similarly
> > astronomical!
> > > >
> > > >Yeah I know, I need to get a life. :)
> > > >
> > > >Roger Pihlaja
> > > >S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> > > >__________________________________________________
> > > >Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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