On-Board Power for Interstellar Generation Ships: Applications of Cassenti’s Toroidal Ion Scoop
£5.00
G. L. Matloff (2017), JBIS, 70, pp.208-209
Refcode: 2017.70.208
Abstract:
Perhaps the only suggested interstellar ion scoop that would function as a collection device rather than a plasma-reflecting drag brake is the toroidal field ion intake suggested by Brice Cassenti in the early 1990’s. Here, we examine the utility of this device to supply on-board power to a small cruising interstellar generation ship using MHD techniques to convert some collected interstellar plasma kinetic energy relative to the ship to electrical energy. A drawback of this technique is a slight reduction in the spacecraft’s velocity.
