earthly millennium energy and interstellar shuttle propulsion

7/28/2019 Earthly Millennium Energy and Interstellar Shuttle Propulsion...

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Earthly Millennium Energy and Interstellar Shuttle

Propulsion Potentials of Liquid Space Optics

J. H. Bloomer., DISCRAFT Corp., 1990 SE 157th Dr., Portland, OR 97233, USA

Ph. (503)251-6914 ; FAX, (503)252-2383

Copyright 1993 by IECEC: ACS/AIAA/AIChE/ANS/ASME/IEEE/SAE

The present concept is that of solar/stellar-orbiting, energy-gathering-and-continuous-pinpoint-

redistributing, self-formed, liquid, laser-optical systems for both millennium-level, power-from-space

facilities and energy supply to 1g-accelerating/decelerating, interplanetary/interstellar luxury spaceships

cruising at up to 25% light-speed. It recently was termed Theoretical and visionary by the present

Review Committee of the IECEC. The U.S. Air Force in 1965 in imposing a secrecy order on same (patent

application thereof) said it was found to contain subject matter the unauthorized disclosure of which

might be detrimental to the national security (later removed at the respective requests of a U.S. Senator

and the SBA). A few years later the U.S. Patent Office declared it was obvious. So take your pick. But if

Im right in this our individual and collective search for a tool, whereby space exploration can be made to

pay for itself as-you-go by selling to the public a tangible commodity, is at an end. Let alone a tool for the

actual exploration/exploitation.

Vast self-orbiting solar energy handling satellites (SEHS) were enabled and innovated by the present

writer as a result of his 64 invention of liquid space optics (LSO) or more specifically capillary

epihydrostatic optics (Bloomer, 1965, 65-66). The following is a very brief summary of a whole new

proposed technology for space exploration and exploitation based on LSO and SEHS. LSO technology is

expected to drive down by orders of magnitude the cost of space launch and propulsion operations in

general. SEHS bootstrap themselves exponentially into orbit mostly under their own collected (converted,

LSO-laserbeamed solar energy). LSO-based SEHS, once in place in orbit, readily should pay for themselves

(and as well for most other future space activities) while retiring all conventional energy sources fromservice in favor of ecologically clean, free solar energy beamed down from orbit (Bloomer, 1966, 1991).

SEHS require mostly simple and common raw materials found in profusion all over the solar system.

Consequently since solar energy is effectively unlimited, as much free solar energy as is desired

theoretically can be delivered self-paid. Energy quantity desired evidently is going to be proportional to

(worldwide consensus of) quality of life desired, since (Erb, 1992) The utilization of energy is a surrogate

for economic productivity and quality of life. Ecological restoration and cessation of ecological pressure

evidently requires three elements: (1) enormous energy resources for worldwide ecological clean-up and

repair, (2) replacement of present energy-gathering systems with one that is safe, non-polluting, and

makes no demands on the natural habitat, (3) elevation of worldwide living standards to the highest

conceivable levels, since (ONeill, 1992) ecological pressure of populations is inversely proportional to


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personal wealth. LSO-based SEHS, therefore, evidently singlehandedly and permanently would solve

most known ecological problems while of much more individual significance of course- serving in

principle actually to precipitate the Biblical millennium (Revelation).

Other SEHS would dispatch (converted, LSO-laserbeamed) energy to space exploration/exploitation/user

projects all about the solar system and beyond. I published the SEHS concept of power from spaceoriginally in 66 in connection with a pioneering plan to use it to send a flyby ship to Alpha Centauri at

25% the speed of light (Bloomer, 1966). Below I extend these notions to propose a manned roundtrip

such expedition also at c/4 to the same destination.

LSO Foundations

LSO foundations are in the variational treatment on energy considerations by Ta Li (Li, 1960), while actual

derivation (unpublished) therefrom of the fundamental LSO formula is available from this author(Bloomer, 1967). The latter results in (See Fig. 1) the error expression,

3

0

10

2

1 DCng ,

where:

C=lv

vaporliquid

,

and = imposed deviation in cm., measured normal to axis, from (zero-g) spherical figure, caused by an

axial load, ng0; n = axial load in sea-level gravities; g0 = sea-level gravity, cm/sec2; D = diameter of liquid-

optic, cm; = focal ratio of given optic; liquid= density of optical liquid gm/cm3

;vapor = density of optical

liquids vapor, gm/cm3; lv= surface tension of optical liquid, dyne/cm.

For example, application of above equation indicates diffraction-limited operation of a one-mile-diameter

liquid optic requires that no greater (axial deemed worst case) acceleration than 7.16 10-15

sea-level

earth gravities operate. If unprotected-liquid-mirror axis is aimed at the sun (worst-case), then solar

electromagnetic radiation pressure results in an acceleration of 9.7 10-11

sea-level earth gravities

obviously highly significant and necessitating shielding.

Liquid-optic mirror variable-focus feature, on the other hand, is actually enabled by variable-geometry

nearby masses, which impose time-varying and space-varying gravitational loads on the optic such as to

(1) render it continuously diffraction-limited, and (2) vary its focus in real-time under astronaut or ground

control. Latter feature permits a Laserpowered, Remote Electricrocket Motor (LREM) aboard an

associated interplanetary or interstellar spacecraft, to operate continuously at the LSO-macrolaser focus

in acceleration and deceleration maneuvers.

Capillary surface of all reflective liquid space optics at this juncture, seems best implemented with (liquid-

metal) galliumplating on a Dow-Corning silicone DC-200 liquid plastic substrate while refractive optics

appear best surfaced with just the DC-200. (Liquid) galliumized DC-200, used for the astronomical-


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precision (correct overall to green-light /4) beam-tightener telescope primary, is therefore comparable

in elements to the total systems low-precision, much larger (solid) aluminized-mylar solar collector

mirror (highly reflective, gallium is a member of the aluminum family).

Fig. 1. Error In a Liquid Space Optic Due to a Finite Axial Load ng0

LSO Seed Solar Energy Handling Satellite

Seed SEHS, 4.4 miles in diameter, 1.6 106

lb, may be bootstrapped or exponentiated from much

smaller beginnings, or assembled in LEO from 24 Saturn V -type rocket loads (24L of 200,000 lb each). It

consists of 0.0007-inch-thick aluminized mylar (plastic) solar-collecting mirror, laser, laser-pumping

mechanism and optical secondary, all at the collector focus, on the one hand, and the variable-focus,

gravitationally-figured primary mirror, riding freely in a concentric cavity of the collector (in an

independent orbit), on the other. Using collected solar energy, first task of the seed SEHS would be to

propel itself to GEO.

There, to bootstrap itself, SSTO Single-Stage-To-Orbit (-and- return) ferry shuttles, taking power from

SEHS earth-directed laserbeam, would be propelled straight up to circumferentially augment thecollector mirror, primary and secondary. Each SSTO is planned as a 100T gwt., 50%-payload-fraction, 50-

ft-diameter, double-convex disc with combination of airscrew/rocket propulsion systems in base.

C = CHARACTERISTIC = /lv

R3 = RADIUS OF MIRROR = D (2.107)0.983

F = FOCAL LENGTH = R3/2

D = APERTURE

= F/D

N = LOAD IN g0S

= (c,R3,N,D) = ERROR = 1+2

3

0

10

2

1 DCNg

(By permission of the American Astronautical Society, Bloomer, 1965)

Ng0

21

R3


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The laser cavity is filled with a gas which absorbs the reflected solar energy and lases, i.e., transmits a

coherent beam normal to the rods end-surfaces. The end-mirror nearest the great solar mirror is partially

silvered, so that a portion of the coherent energy in the rod continuously escapes. The escaping beam is

diverged by secondary lens. The latter is rigidly mounted to laser-rod and pump, by strut-supports.

The diverged coherent beam illuminates the large (172-mile-diameter) liquid-surface primary mirror.

High-precision primary is bordered by a rigid plastic-foam boundary-ring. Laser energy, focused by

reflection from primary, passes through the empty interior of collar and emerges in the form of focusedhigh-energy coherent beam. The beam supplies energy at or near its focus to disc-like craft (Fig. 3) which

might carry a protected payload.

Fig. 2. Multi-Orbit Solar or Stellar

Macrolaser Driving Laserpowered

Remote Electricrocket Motor with

Associated Spaceship (Acceleration or

Deceleration)

At the extreme left of Figure 2

is the great solar 10,300-mile-

diameter collector mirror. It

focuses solar energy onto the

semi-silvered collar-like

pumping mechanism. Energy

trapped by multiple reflections

in collar is transferred to the

transparent, hollow laser

cylindrical cavity. Rod is

maintained concentric with

collar by strut-supports.

Fig. 3. Laserpowered Remote Electricrocket

Motor (LREM) Driving Shrouded Freighter

or Spaceship Payload

Interplanetary and Interstellar LREM

Spaceships

Note in Fig. 3, (1) is payload (stoppable or

unstoppable); (2) is Laserpowered Remote

Electricrocket Motor-Disc (Frozen

Hydrogen); (3) is insulator spike-bed to fix

separation between disc and electrode

mesh; (4) is electrode mesh; (5) is envelope

of exhaust plume; (6) is direction of

impinging laser beam from distant SEHS; (7)

is direction of rocket exhaust.

5

41

3

2

7

6

7


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Stopping Payloads then Astronauts in Stellar Orbit

Strategy is to bootstrap SEHS (augment with SSTO freighters) at an exponential rate with material

extracted from earth and/or planets, to a final 10,300-mile (overall, collector-diameter-size) system

(comparable to the diameter of the earth), one with diffraction-limited, variable-focus, 172-mile-

diameter, liquid, optical primary (mirror), This entire unit would then propel itself to solar orbit at thAstronomical Unit, permitting the dispatching in turn at c/4 of a succession of spaceships. Some tens or

hundreds of such flyby braking systems with associated Centauri -stoppable payload(Figs 2,3,4) would

be launched, each planned to stop its associated 140,000 -lb machinery/tools/hardware freighter

payload in Alpha Centauri (chosen sun) System orbit (by focusing A.C. stellar radiation backwards on the

ships rocket power converters during flyby). Final such payload would consist just of the twenty

astronauts themselves plus their living quarters grossing another 140,000 lb.

Figure 4 illustrates a stoppable ship (payload) with associated flyby SEHS (in this case Stellar Energy

Handling Spaceship) in a braking approach to the target star, where (1) is target star, (2) and (3) are

hypothetical planets, (4) is the primary LSO mirror of the flyby braking system, (5) is the diverged laser

beam illuminating the primary mirror, (6) is the laser/diverging lens assembly, (7) is the envelope of

focused stellar energy, (8) is the giant collector mirror, (9) is the central perforation in the collector

mirror, (10) is hypothetical interplanetary space of target star; (11) is envelope of laser beam focused by

primary mirror; (12) is braking rocket exhaust envelope; (13) is braking rocket; (14) is 140,000-lb

stoppable payload shroud; (15) and (16) are hypothetical stopped payload-shrouds, already orbiting

target star, (17) is direction of motion of the flyby braking systems.

Fig. 4. Stoppable Passenger

or Freighter Spaceship in

Braking Approach to Target

Star

1

2

174

68

5

7

9

10

11

12

13

14

3

15

16

1


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Assembling SEHS in Stellar Orbit, then Earth Return

Astronauts first task in stellar orbit would be to assemble the respective 140,000-lb payloads into the

local SEHS (Stellar Energy Handling Satellite) factory required to build SEHS of sufficient size to returnthem at c/4 to earth. Upon completion, astronauts would use the local, variable-focus, steerable, SEHS

beam to drive (supply energy to) local exploratory vehicles, for exhaustive investigation of the Alpha

Centauri (3 star) System. Return would then be implemented by augmenting the earth-going ship with

sufficient (20 extra) expellant to permit both starting at c/4 from A.C., and then stopping their living

module in earth orbit via beamed energy from the permanent solar-orbiting SEHS already available (no

flyby braking system required).

Overall efficiency of interplanetary/interstellar SEHS-associated propulsion system is estimated about 1%.

Continuous power required to propel to th

lightspeed a stellar flyby system capable of stopping an

associated 140,000-lb payload package is estimated 51015

watts (=5000 terawatts; for perspective, note

the entire present power production of the globe may be some 10 terawatts).

Using an aluminized mylar solar collector mirror at 0.0007 in. thickness (Schjeldahl, 1965) with average

density estimated 2.0, and presuming the associated Laser-Inverted Telescope apparatus is th

the weight

of the collector, then the total SEHS in th

A.U. solar orbit needed to propel an entire flyby SEHS (Stellar

Energy Handling Spaceship) to Alpha Centauri, by the same token will weigh about 6.7109

metric tons,

and will be some 10,300 miles in (collector) diameter overall. Each flyby SEHS to Centauri is of course sent

only for the purpose of braking its associated 140,000-lb spacecraft to stop the latter in Centauri orbit.

Liquid-optic orbital primary mirror associated with the above collector system, it is estimated should be

built about 172 miles in diameter. If diffraction-limited (in visible light), such a beam-tightener mirror

system, used in reverse as an astronomical telescope, will give a resolution of about 5 ft. at Alpha

Centauri distance (4.3 lightyears).

Lets say, astronomical studies in advance, using the 172-mi.-diameter-primary, diffraction-limited solar-

orbiting telescope, indicate astronauts can build from local materials a return (accelerator) Stellar

Collector System to handle a 20 140,000-lb-payload (combined payload) rocketship at c/4 from Alpha

Centauri. Note that (Bloomer, 1966), ratio of c/4 laser-supplied rocketship expellant weight to payload

weight, is about 20-to-1. So twenty squaredtimes the normal 140,000-lb-payload return spacecraft will

be needed, to carry both starting and stopping expellant.

Then, presuming an Alpha Centauri target star comparable to our own sun, required diameter of the A.C.-

orbiting accelerators collector system to return the 20 astronauts to earth would be about 376 miles.

Total roundtrip mission duration should be about 40 years or less.


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Fig. 5. Earth Return Stellar Energy Handling Spaceship in Acceleration Phase.

Alpha Centauri Orbiting SEHS Factory

Next question is, presuming adequate quantity and quality of raw materials exist in A.C. stellar system (as

obtainable from local planets, asteroids, moons, etc.), what factories do we need to send along with the

astronauts, so that they can manufacture their own return accelerator? Best no doubt would be to send

along a considerable quantity, say, of pure gallium, plus all manner of instruments, tools and hardware,

and some non-self-contained, laser-supplied, space shuttle ships, presuming that they can rely on the

A.C. stellar system for, in particular, raw materials for plastics (as well as of course energy for propulsion).

If the latter is the case, it might be necessary to stop only a few tens or hundreds of 1 40,000-lb

payloads in A.C.-orbit, for astronaut use there (Otherwise we would have to send a maximum of 6.5 106

self-stoppable ships at 108

tons each).

Once they have completed and checked out (by their return!), an A.C.-orbiting, 376-mile-diameter-

collector accelerator/decelerator system, we have in place an interstellar shuttle system, one operating

repeatedly between our Solar System and the Alpha Centauri Stellar System.


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Provision of local planetary (Solar System) one-gravity acceleration-deceleration propulsion systems, as

well as millennium-style free energy on earth from (earth or solar) orbit, are of course merely early

development stages of such an advanced Newtonian interstellar shuttle system as that described above.

References

Bloomer, J.H., in Space Electronics Symposium; Editor, C.M. Wong; AAS Science and Technology Series;

Printed and Distributed by Western Periodicals Co., No. Hollywood, CA., 1965, Vol. 6; pp. IV-37.

Bloomer, J.H., Liquid Space Optic Optics, Journal of the Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation

Engineers, 1965-66, Vol. 4 No. 2, pp. 65-70.

Bloomer, J.H., In Proceedings of 17th

International Astronautical Federation Congress, 1966, IAF, 3-5 Rue

Mario-Nikis, 75015 Paris, France.

Bloomer, J.H., Physical Chemistry and Geometrical Optics, 1967, unpublished.

Bloomer, J.H., In America at the ThresholdAmericas Space Exploration Initiative Outreach; Editor,

Thomas P. Stafford; Space Self-fabrication of Very Large Diffraction-Limited Liquid Optics;

Published by U.S. Govt. Printing Ofc., Washington, D.C. 20402, 1991.

Erb, R. Bryan In Proceedings of 43rd

IAF Congress, Paper No. IAF-92-0595, 1992, International

Astronautical Federation, 3-5 Rue Mario-Nikis, 75015 Paris, France.

Li, Ta, Hydrostatics in Various Gravitational Fields, General Dynamics Astronautics Division, Space

Physics Group, Applied Research Report; San Diego, CA.; 1960.

ONeill, Gerard K. In Trilogy Jan./Feb. 1992, pp. 48-54; published by Space Studies Institute, Box 82,

Princeton, N.J. 08542.

Schjeldahl, G.T. Co., Echo II Satelloon Worlds Largest Spacecraft, Brochure, Northfield, Minn,; circa

1965.

earthly millennium energy and interstellar shuttle propulsion

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