Near Light Speed Nuclear Space Propulsion Device

Near Light Speed

Nuclear Space Propulsion Device

A space propulsion device that can attain near light speed (99% of c) is considered to be a holy grail in space technology. To attain near light speed for a rocket engine that is based on 3^rd law of motion is almost impossible, since the exhaust (mass expulsion) velocity is limited even for magneto plasma thrusters. And even if higher exhaust velocity is possible, still propellant has to be expelled at very high velocity; and that high velocity requires very high energy. And this high velocity of propellant results in very high relativistic mass of propellant with respect to space craft. In order to achieve near light speed velocity and reduce the fuel carried marginally; I have successfully developed a new concept that is not based on mass expulsion type rocket engines; after spending several years to research. The concept is described below. This new concept requires less propellant onboard; reduction of fuel carried and increasing thrust is of paramount importance to maximize Space flight efficiency. Fuel carried has a major role in reducing the range considering the fact that at take off 90% of weight of spacecraft is of fuel. Since no mass is expelled; the specific impulse could be infinity ; ( specific impulse is the ratio of the amount of thrust produced to the weight flow of the propellants. )

Description: Even though 3^rd law prevents a propulsion device, that is not based on mass expulsion; we can overcome this by using the concept friction where heat energy is produced due to friction. In my concept a ball is accelerated in a smooth tube and retarded at a high friction tube. During acceleration of ball, reaction of that will result in forward motion of spacecraft. During retardation of ball in a friction tube the reaction of this will cause backward motion of space craft but this backward motion will be less since some of energy will be lost as heat due to friction. So loss due to friction as heat in friction tube will be the gain in forward movement of space craft. Friction from slowing the ball will not directly cause the spacecraft to move; this is energy going into entropy. The friction is an irreversible process. However, the mass slowing down will impart momentum onto the spacecraft, and the friction will happen at the same time. One might incorrectly draw the conclusion that the friction was the reason that the momentum transferred from mass to spacecraft, but the friction is only a consequence of other forces. If you mount a gun to one side of the interior of the spacecraft, and shoot the bullet, the spacecraft will accelerate slightly in the opposite direction (while the bullet is flying through the interior of the spacecraft). If you then slow the bullet to a stop over the course of a couple of meters in some sort of friction tube, then the spacecraft will almost slow down to its original velocity before the shot went off, but not completely. The difference between the two equates to the additional energy lost as friction inside the tube. In this way you could accelerate the spacecraft by repeatedly doing this. You are basically putting energy into moving the spacecraft, then putting slightly less energy into slowing the spacecraft, with the remainder turning to heat by friction.

In my concept ball is accelerated in smooth tube this will result in forward movement of space craft due to reaction and then ball is retarded in a high friction tube so some energy will be lost in this retardation phase as heat energy due to friction. So back ward motion of space craft due to reaction of retardation of ball will be lesser than forward motion gained earlier (by accelerating ball). This difference will cause overall forward motion of space craft and net kinetic energy will be equal to the heat energy generated by friction. We can increase the efficiency higher by stopping the ball entirely of friction.

This propulsion can be used in deep space missions. Even though thrust is low the velocity achievable over time will be very high, near light speed (99% of c) is possible; since the relative velocity of ball with respect to spacecraft is always will be with in a predefined small range. Also since in the concept the ball is always trying to accelerate vessel no matter what is vessels current velocity. In the inertial frame of space craft, the ball’s velocity is within a fraction of light speed so less energy is required to accelerate ball and thereby space craft even at high velocities of space craft. But in rocket engine that is based on 3rd law of motion; to attain near light speed is almost impossible, since the exhaust velocity is limited even for magneto plasma dynamic thrusters. And even if higher exhaust velocity is possible, still propellant has to be expelled at very high velocity; and that high velocity requires very high energy. And this high velocity of propellant results in very high relativistic mass of propellant with respect to space craft. In my concept if space craft’s relativistic mass is increasing with respect to a local space it is traveling, so does the balls relativistic mass with respect to that space. The ratio of spacecraft’s mass to ball’s mass will be same in all reference frames that includes both ball and space craft, so acceleration of ball is the only variable that affects forward acceleration of space craft. Since thrust is same as force = mass X acceleration. Giving same force to ball will give same acceleration to space craft at all speeds even near light speed; since ratio of relativistic mass of ball and space craft is always same. Since ratio of mass is same at all reference frame that includes both ball and space craft; the particular value of velocity of ball at all speeds of space craft will accelerate space craft similarly, no additional energy is required at higher speeds to accelerate spacecraft as in conventional rocket engine based on 3^rd law. The relativistic mass is a problem when propellant is moving at very high speed in conventional rockets, but in my concept ball will always move in a predefined range of velocities with respect to vessel still near light speed is possible since there will be always acceleration due to the fact that there will be always a relative velocity between vessel and ball. But rockets working on 3rd law of newton, this relativistic mass imposes problem since relative velocities of propellant to vessel has to be very high to get near light speed velocity for the vessel.

In This Concept a U shaped Pipe is used with combustion chamber at both ends. There is a ball inside the tube with outer diameter same as that of inner diameter of Tube/pipe. The tube has a smooth section and a high friction section A small nuclear reactor with control is placed inside the combustion chamber. Heat/steam pipes are provided around the combustion chamber to remove heat during compression. This removed heat is used to operate a steam turbine to generate electricity and warming the cabin. This concept can also be operated by electromagnetic force and electricity source can be solar cell panel, battery or nuclear reactor. The heat generated due to friction can be reused to produce electricity. Losses like eddy current losses in electromagnetics and viscous drag etc. can be also used in place of friction or compounded with friction to produce thrust.

Working of Concept: The concept consist of a combustion chamber; where a nuclear reactor is situated and a smooth tube is connected to this combustion chamber; At the end of smooth tube there is a friction tube which is split to four plates so that these plates can be radially pushed by springs to increase friction. A bullet shaped solid metal piece is inserted in this tube. This bullet is moved from end of friction tube to combustion chamber by a starting mechanism; during this air is compressed in the combustion chamber. Heat generated during compression is removed by heat/steam pipes. When the bullet reaches the combustion chamber end ball is locked in that position by a locking mechanism and heat/steam pipes are blocked. The nuclear device is activated by moving lead rods. The compressed air in that combustion chamber is heated to a certain value determined by the heat withstanding capacity of materials used. After that lock is opened and bullet starts moving in smooth tube at very high speed due to air pressure. During this space craft moves in opposite direction of bullet (forward) according to third law of motion by Newton. As bullet moves through the friction tube some of kinetic energy is lost as friction. Friction is increased by the springs that push friction plates radially. while bullet is retarded in a high friction tube so some energy will be lost in this retardation phase as heat energy due to friction. So back ward motion of space craft due to reaction of retardation of bullet will be lesser than forward motion gained earlier (by accelerating ball). This difference will cause overall forward motion of space craft and net kinetic energy will be equal to the heat energy generated by friction. We can increase the efficiency higher by stopping the ball entirely of friction. Heat generated in friction tube due to friction is recovered and used in a steam turbine to produce electricity. After stopping of bullet by friction; the bullet is moved to combustion chamber and compresses air in combustion chamber. This whole cycle is repeated to move space craft forward.

Schematic diagram of said concept is shown below:

Inventor : Diji N J

Address: Nedunghayil house

Vennala P.O.

Ernakulam

Kerala

India

Phone: +91-04843929730

Mobile: +91-7736419388

Email: delvezone@hotmail.com

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