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Solar Super-Sail Could Reach Mars in a Month
ti-coune sent us a story running on newscientist describing
solar super sails and how they could one day get us to Mars in a month. The key is a special new paint. The cast of Trading Spaces is unavailable for comment.
I don't see any cast.
BTW. The sail emits carbon monoxide to get its speed boost. You know, the stuff the kills humans almost as fast as dihydrogen monoxide.
You really want to be behind that thing for a whole month?
Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).
The invention of a warp drive or time machine could get us there immediately. Weather at 10.
The cast of Trading Spaces is unavailable for comment. TSIA.
Yea, I imagine carbon monoxide poisoning is probably the biggest issue facing unprotected free-floating humans in space.
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I thought this was an advertisement for my local tanning salon at first. Jeez what a disappointment.
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The cast of Trading Spaces is unavailable for comment.
Did you even bother to ask them?
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"Emergency channel, zero-one-three-zero, Code Red. It has been three hours since our contact with the alien probe. All attempts at regaining power have failed. All non-essential fuel has been given...to slow our consumption of life-support reserves. Our chief engineer is trying to deploy a makeshift solar sail. We have high hopes that this will, if successful, generate power to keep us alive."
The coolest voice ever.
They didnt mention that everyone on the craft had to blow really hard in the opposite direction when they started getting near to slow them down?
BTW. The sail emits carbon monoxide to get its speed boost. You know, the stuff the kills humans almost as fast as dihydrogen monoxide.
You really want to be behind that thing for a whole month?
Right, like they're going to be flying along to Mars with the windows open.
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BTW. The sail emits carbon monoxide to get its speed boost. You know, the stuff the kills humans almost as fast as dihydrogen monoxide. You really want to be behind that thing for a whole month?
Do you really think that they haven't thought about that? First of all, the astronauts would be in some sort of pressurized cabin that will take care of all their air-breathing needs. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't let the CO from outside get in. Furthermore, the pressure inside will be much greater than the pressure outside. Hence air will have a tendency to flow out, rather than the CO flowing in.
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I like
BTW. The sail emits carbon monoxide to get its speed boost. You know, the stuff the kills humans almost as fast as dihydrogen monoxide.
I'll take that risk. I was never that good at breathing in outerspace anyways....
at least it's not 1.21 Gigawatts...
Yeah, numbers would be nice to know, for example, how big the sail would need to be. I sure hope this picture isn't supposed to be to scale.
Look up the term, dihydrogen monoxide. Let the enlightenment hit you.
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Ah yes playing with nomenclature. I missed that the first time. Kind of like the second Austin Powers movie and the space suit which has p^2 labeled near the crotch zipper.
They would drop the solar anchor
if it is to scale, then mars is really only about 900 km away- so taking a month to get there with this new technology wouldn't be very impressive, considering i can drive 900km in about 8-9 hours
If I don't put anything here, will anyone recognize me anymore?
The key is a special new paint...
The "ricers" were right!
And all this time, I thought that inane changes to your vehicle to make it *look* faster wouldn't actually do anything for the performance.
Boy, was I wrong.
It's a sail that pharts.
Warning: Not for terrestrial escape. Solar sail for outdoor use only. Do not deploy in poorly ventilated regions of space. Emissions sticker must be displayed on windshield of personnel module at all times. Solar System law prohibits tampering with or disabling of solar sail emission control systems. (Additional requirements apply above Earth's California.) It is illegal to use 60 MW microwave source in any manner inconsistent with labeling (e.g. popcorn, "phone home", mind control of homeless.) Not safe for children under 6 (toxic if eaten, asphyxiation hazard). May be fatal if used as shelter in bright sunlight or under lightning conditions. Improper disposal threatens wildlife and environment - ask local authorities about stellar propulsion system recycling programs.
"Yeah, they found the poor bastard in his space garage with the door closed and the solar sail running. Damn shame."
Like in the Road Runner cartoons where Wile E. Coyote has a skateboard with a sail on front and an electric fan on the back?
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