- #1
DaveC426913
Gold Member
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I'm not looking for fiction; I'm looking for physics.
Assumptions:
- An engine efficient enough that you can afford to thrust for very long periods - maybe fusion? (OK, that's fiction)
- A lot of maneuvering (eg. you could thrust until turnaround point and then decelerate)
- With a lot of maneuvering and a single main engine it would be would be better to rotate the ship with gyros rather than retros.
What would the properties of the gyro(s) need to be?
Does it need to be at the centre of mass?
Can you have more than one?
Can multiple gyros be away from the centre of mass?
Clearly, the more spherical the ship, the better use it could make of the momentum, so an ideal ship might be as spherical as practical. (just a supposition)
Is there a ratio of how large and how fast the gyro must be to turn the ship efficiently?
Would the gyro spin down quickly under all that applied torque? (You could always bleed off some thrust to power a generator that would keep it spun up.)
Assumptions:
- An engine efficient enough that you can afford to thrust for very long periods - maybe fusion? (OK, that's fiction)
- A lot of maneuvering (eg. you could thrust until turnaround point and then decelerate)
- With a lot of maneuvering and a single main engine it would be would be better to rotate the ship with gyros rather than retros.
What would the properties of the gyro(s) need to be?
Does it need to be at the centre of mass?
Can you have more than one?
Can multiple gyros be away from the centre of mass?
Clearly, the more spherical the ship, the better use it could make of the momentum, so an ideal ship might be as spherical as practical. (just a supposition)
Is there a ratio of how large and how fast the gyro must be to turn the ship efficiently?
Would the gyro spin down quickly under all that applied torque? (You could always bleed off some thrust to power a generator that would keep it spun up.)