Re: Obliterating the Rocket Equation with a Torusail

> You're right about the preferability of the rocket. It sounds like
> your mission would have involved some sort of ramjet, since a
> ramjet slows down the incoming medium to nearly ship speed.
> (By "slows down", I mean in the reference frame of the ship.)

No. I merely derived the bombtrack equation by assuming
perfect takeup of fuel, storing the kinetic energy, and adding it
to the ashes. A waste of time and intellect.

> For fast interplanetary propulsion, we already have good enough Ve.

Hardly. It takes years to get to the outer planets.

>> The limiting factor with better Ve is the shear power of the rocket
>> required, since the ratio of momentum to power is inversely
>> proportional to Ve. I am pinning my hopes on nuclear-light-bulb with
>> hyper-efficient photovoltaic conversion and ion drives.

> Good for fast interplanetary travel. Worthless for fast interstellar
> travel.

Why?

.