Gravitational Currents Could Slash Fuel Needed For Space Flight

Hugh Pickens writes "BBC reports that scientists are mapping the gravitational corridors created from the complex interplay of attractive forces between planets and moons that can be used to cut the cost of journeys in space. 'Basically the idea is there are low energy pathways winding between planets and moons that would slash the amount of fuel needed to explore the solar system,' says Professor Shane Ross from Virginia Tech. 'These are free-fall pathways in space around and between gravitational bodies. Instead of falling down, like you do on Earth, you fall along these tubes.' The pathways connect Lagrange points where gravitational forces balance out. Depicted by computer graphics, the pathways look like strands of spaghetti that wrap around planetary bodies and snake between them. 'If you're in a parking orbit round the Earth, and one of them intersects your trajectory, you just need enough fuel to change your velocity and now you're on a new trajectory that is free,' says Ross. 'You could travel between the moons of Jupiter essentially for free. All you need is a little bit of fuel to do course corrections.' The Genesis spacecraft used gravitational pathways that allowed the amount of fuel carried by the probe to be cut 10-fold, but the trade off is time. While it would take a few months to get around the Jovian moon system using gravitational currents (PDF), attempting to get a free ride from Earth to Mars on the currents might take thousands of years."

Comments

So...

[jellomizer]

Space Travel is just like the internet. All you need to do is navigate a bunch of tubes.

Re:So...

[Nefarious Wheel]

The pathways connect Lagrange points where gravitational forces balance out. Depicted by computer graphics, the pathways look like strands of spaghetti that wrap around planetary bodies

I knew it! My belief in the one true faith is justified!

-- Strict Constructionist Pastafarian (Bolognaise)

old idea

[jschen]

For example, this old article discusses the same concept.

Re:old idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Or if you'd RTFA you'd see the part where they talk about the Apollo missions and how it is not the same concept.

suing the currents

[PTBarnum]

Apparently the Rocket Industry Association of America found out that people were planning to travel for free by stealing gravity from nearby planets. They also discovered that gravitational currents are aiding and abetting these crimes by making it easy to find and use the gravity. These pirates think they can escape prosecution by relocating to the Jovian moon system, but the RIAA lawyers were able to track them down and sue them within a few months.

Getting out of Orbit

[moosetail]

The vast majority of fuel usage is simply getting out of orbit. I imagine this would be musch more useful for vehicles that are simply motoring around the solar system, but not dropping to the planet, or even going into LEO.

Re:Getting out of Orbit

[Menkhaf]

Which is why we need one of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Launch_loop

Have a look at the economics:

For a launch loop to be economically viable it would require customers with sufficiently large payload launch requirements.

Lofstrom estimates that an initial loop costing roughly $10 billion with a 1 year payback could launch 40,000 metric tons per year, and cut launch costs to $300/kg, or for $30 billion, with a larger power generation capacity, the loop would be capable of launching 6 million metric tons per year, and given a 5 year payback period, the costs for accessing space with a launch loop could be as low as $3/kg.[ http://launchloop.com/LaunchLoop?action=AttachFile&do=view&target=isdc2002loop.pdf ]