Questions Concerning Pellet-Stream Propulsion

C. E. Singer. (1981), JBIS, 34, pp.117-119

Refcode: 1981.34.117

Abstract:

THIS NOTE ADDRESSES TWO sets of questions which arose from recent publication of the paper entitled “Interstellar Propulsion using a Pellet Stream for Momentum Transfer.” That paper was written to demonstrate that the optimal method of interstellar propulsion is to launch a series of small pellets from a mass driver in the Solar System; the pellets are periodically collimated, and upon reaching an interstellar probe are ionized and reflected from a pusher plate. In addition to comments on the question of possible sources of dispersion which would prevent collimation of the pellet stream over distances of a fraction of a lightyear or more, I also address the questions of acceleration of the launcher and of optimization of the mission profile, both raised by H. O. Ruppe.