[IMG]http://www.centauri-dreams.org/wp-content/images/h_pbarsail_concept_02.jpg[/IMG]
[I]Antimatter-driven sail for a Kuiper-belt mission.
Art: Hbar Technologies, LLC/Elizabeth Lagana[/I]
Antimatter is the Holy Grail of propulsion, because when amat comes into contact with matter, they both annihilate each other, a total matter-to-energy conversion.
To use antimatter for propulsion, there are many systems: Amat beam core (Pure matter/amat reactions), Amat gas/plasma core (Amat increases the temperature of the propellant), Amat-catalyzed fusion (Amat is used to start Deuterium-Helium3 or even Proton-Proton (Raw Hydrogen if you will) fusion reactions), and Amat solid core (Amat hits tungsten, heating it, and the heat is transfered into propellant).
But Hbar Technologies has desgined a new system: Antimatter is thrown at a sail (Much like a solar sail). The sail has small amounts of Uranium on its surface, and when antimatter heats, Uranium undergoes fission, which creates thrust.
Unlike the Medusa (Which consists of detonating nukes in a parachute-like sail), the Antimatter Sail is much more efficient. For example, the antimatter doesn't have to be accelerated. Just throw it forward. Another good thing is that the sail can be very small (Five meters in diameter), and a probe can get to Alpha Centauri with only a few grams of amat.
The result of fission is mostly neutrons, and fission fragments produce a lot of thrust too (See: Fission-fragment rocket), and the result of matter/antimatter annihilation consists of photons, which have low thrust but the highest possible specific impulse (See: Photon drive).
A minor inconvenient is that Gamma Rays (From matter/amat annihilation) tend to transmutate metal into radiactive isotopes, but the ship would use microscopic amounts of amat, so there shouldn't be much damage due to radaition. Another reason to use Carbon.
:hydrogen:
[url]http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=28[/url]
[url]http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/A/antimatter-driven_sail.html[/url]
great, now all we need is some anti matter
the bad thing about theoritical physics is that it is theoritical
[QUOTE=Egevened;21631002]the bad thing about theoritical physics is that it is theoritical[/QUOTE]
Antimatter is not theoretical (At least not anymore).
Why use goddamn fission when you could use fusion?!?
[QUOTE=esalaka;21631166]Why use goddamn fission when you could use fusion?!?[/QUOTE]
We're still working around fusion. And while antimatter-catalyzed fusion would be cooler, it would be just as efficient as this (Considering fusion drives have an specific impulse of 10% lightspeed).
Not to mention fusion drives would be pretty massive, this one would be a small probe with a sail, some instruments and a Penning trap.
Only real drawback with this method: You need to create a few gramm of amat first. And that's no easy task.
I love these threads, makes me think about the future of the human race.
[QUOTE=rosthouse;21631287]Only real drawback with this method: You need to create a few gramm of amat first. And that's no easy task.[/QUOTE]
Hook up particle accelerator to gigantic solar panel
Launch with nuclear rocket
Move close to Sun
PROFIT!
That's it. No unknowns. Just profit :buddy:
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;21631322]Hook up particle accelerator to gigantic solar panel
Launch with nuclear rocket
Move close to Sun
PROFIT!
That's it. No unknowns. Just profit :buddy:[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I didn't said it's impossible, just not an easy task :buddy:
We should create the first Amat-Farm :v:
Fuck antimatter sailing, I want antimatter [b]surfboarding.[/b]
Eudoxia, are you studying physics or something? i've seen a good few science related threads from you.
[QUOTE=tomw;21631497]Eudoxia, are you studying physics or something? i've seen a good few science related threads from you.[/QUOTE]
Nah, I just read a lot. Might study aerospace engineering though.
Would have to start harvesting the naturally occurring Antimatter in Jupiter's upper layers first.
Wtf, why does antimatter naturally occur in Jupiter's upper layers? Also, wouldn't it collide with loads of gas and just blow up? :\
[QUOTE=Quidsy the Squidsy;21632925]Wtf, why does antimatter naturally occur in Jupiter's upper layers? Also, wouldn't it collide with loads of gas and just blow up? :\[/QUOTE]
It does, I think it's due to cosmic rays and stuff hitting the magnetic field. In any case, Antineutrons are generated. After 25 minutes, they decay into Antiprotons and Positrons, which annihilate each other. Unless you capture them that is.
Ah i see, thanks for the info. :buddy:
[QUOTE=Quidsy the Squidsy;21632925]Wtf, why does antimatter naturally occur in Jupiter's upper layers? Also, wouldn't it collide with loads of gas and just blow up? :\[/QUOTE]
Very small amounts which decay in a planet's radiation belt, you'd need special equipment to harvest it.
[editline]03:57PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;21632930]It does, I think it's due to cosmic rays and stuff hitting the magnetic field. In any case, Antineutrons are generated. After 25 minutes, they decay into Antiprotons and Positrons, which annihilate each other. Unless you capture them that is.[/QUOTE]
Ninja'd.
This is what happens when you try to type with food in one hand.
It's a bit early to talk about anti matter dude.But I wanted to know about your opinion.When do you think that we will perfect anti matter space travel?
[QUOTE=Sub-Zero;21633708]It's a bit early to talk about anti matter dude.But I wanted to know about your opinion.When do you think that we will perfect anti matter space travel?[/QUOTE]
It's never too early to talk about advanced stuff.
[QUOTE=Sub-Zero;21633708]It's a bit early to talk about anti matter dude.But I wanted to know about your opinion.When do you think that we will perfect anti matter space travel?[/QUOTE]
Well consider the following: Humanity is in the middle of the nanotech revolution (The internet being one of its by-products). The first surgery using nanobots was a success. We can now produce more power (A fusion reactor is being built in France), and we're learning how to do more with less (Nanotech, again).
Self-replicating nanomachines (If they are not incredibly slow, impractical, and fragile) are supposed to be invented before ~2040. With them, we can build Asimov Arrays on Mercury and the Moon. The one on the Moon can be used to produce power and send it to Earth through microwave lasers. The one on Mercury would be too far away for that, so it would be the perfect antimatter factory. We would be able to produce several kilograms, if not tonnes, every day, and power small antimatter Valkyries through the solar system, and interstellar ones every year.
Just wondering But there going to make bombs out of anti-matter sooner or later right? So how powerfull would these bombs be exatly?
[QUOTE=Superkilll307;21634096]Just wondering But there going to make bombs out of anti-matter sooner or later right? So how powerfull would these bombs be exatly?[/QUOTE]
Let the check the Boom Table.
1.8 x 1008 J: 1 microgram of antimatter + 1 microgram of matter = 43 kilograms TNT equivalent
1.8 x 1011 J: 1 milligram of antimatter + 1 milligram of matter = 43 tons TNT equivalent
1.8 x 1014 J: 1 gram of antimatter + 1 gram of matter = 43 kilotons
1.8 x 1017 J: 1 kilogram of antimatter + 1 kilogram of matter = 43 megatons
1.8 x 1020 J: 1 metric ton of antimatter + 1 metric ton of matter = 43 gigatons
Eudoxia, are you some kind of genius or do you just stalk wikipedia?
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;21630849]
Antimatter is the Holy Grail of propulsion, because when amat comes into contact with matter, they both annihilate each other, a total matter-to-energy conversion.[/QUOTE]
So, how do you transport amat if we use items made of matter?
[QUOTE=d3450;21634161]Eudoxia, are you some kind of genius or do you just stalk wikipedia?[/QUOTE]
Wikipedia, Atomic Rockets, and the kind gentlemen on the internet who took the time to explain this sort of thing.
And the Tau Zero foundation.
I would Pay to see one of those bombs Blow the fuck out of A planet!
[QUOTE=endofworld96;21634172]So, how do you transport amat if we use items made of matter?[/QUOTE]
Magnetic containers called Penning Traps keep the antimatter floating in a vacuum so that it doesn't touch the walls.
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;21634231]Magnetic containers called Penning Traps keep the antimatter floating in a vacuum so that it doesn't touch the walls.[/QUOTE]
Makes me wonder. I think current penning traps fit quite good in a hand but they containt only a small amounts of atoms.
How big would a penning trap be that contains a single gramm of amat. It would probably need huge amount of engery as well :v:
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;21631227]We're still working around fusion. And while antimatter-catalyzed fusion would be cooler, it would be just as efficient as this (Considering fusion drives have an specific impulse of 10% lightspeed).[/QUOTE]
Holy shit we're measuring spaceships' speeds in terms of lightspeed now?
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