🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Oct28.235558.1187@ucsu.Colorado.EDU> fcrary@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (Frank Crary) writes:
>In article <1992Oct28.202753.10814@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> rbw3q@rayleigh.mech.Virginia.EDU (Brad Whitehurst) writes:
>>>Well, so solar sails are just "driven by radiation pressure".  I'd heard
>>>that (as well as solar wind) before.  
>
>>	Well, I don't have any numbers, but don't forget the "solar
>>wind" of particles streaming from the sun.  I would think it would
>>have a significant contribution.
>
>The particle momentum is less than 1% that of the radiation pressure.
>However, there is a idea for using it (Zubrin's Magsail): The particles
>are charged, and interact with magnetic fields. In theory, a loop of

	Interesting.  NPR had a bit this AM about the solar sail
"regatta" to the moon.  I didn't listen closely, but they did speak of
using the solar particle wind.  Is this an error on their part, or is
the particle flux in the earth-moon system stronger somehow?
(acceleration in the magnetosphere or some such?)

-- 

Brad Whitehurst    |   Aerospace Research Lab
rbw3q@Virginia.EDU |   We like it hot...and fast.