Agreed, and if there happens to be a zero point component of this technology as I suspect then there will be a reversible linkage to virtual particles that could lead to a reactionless drive. Fran
From: Randy Wuller [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, February 06, 2012 1:36 PM To: [email protected] Subject: EXTERNAL: Re: [Vo]:Feb 1st 2012 National Research Council News Release & Report: NASA's 16 top technical challenges for the next 5 years I must say, when I see the words "simply NO way" used to describe the capabilities of a process we don't understand, my annoyance meter starts to twitch. (Which is why I found it necessary to respond) I really wish these kind of comments weren't so common in our society with regard to the future. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Lynn may be exactly correct, but making those predictions with the knowledge we have now seems premature. Ransom ----- Original Message ----- From: Robert Lynn<mailto:[email protected]> To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 06, 2012 12:08 PM Subject: Re: [Vo]:Feb 1st 2012 National Research Council News Release & Report: NASA's 16 top technical challenges for the next 5 years There is simply no way that LENR will be useful for getting stuff to orbit - unless it is used as a method for making cheaper chemical rocket fuels, and even then rocket fuel costs are only a few % of a launch. - LENR power density is far too low (a 3500kg SSME delivers 9GW of power, ie 2.5MW/kg) - The temperature (<700°C) is too low to heat hydrogen sufficiently to give a competitive specific impulse to match the density and performance of other chemical fuels. With LENR/LH2 at 1000°C you might get to 6000m/s exhaust velocity but LOX/LH2 can do 4700m/s and is a far more dense and cheap fuel combination than using all expensive LH2 (a tremendously bulky and expensive fuel requiring enormous well insulated tanks). However LENR will be tremendously useful for moving stuff around slowly in orbit and interplanetary space using various types of high Isp plasma drives. On 5 February 2012 21:06, Chemical Engineer <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: http://ns1.nianet.org/workshops/pdfs/Olds%20LaRC%20Workshop%20Presentation%20Final.pdf Page 14 shows an LENR thermal propulsion prototype from 2009 - 18 GW! LENR Rocket Fully Reusable SSTO Vehicle powered by Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) Propulsion Reactor Power Payload LOX-Augmented Nuclear Thermal Rocket (H2) with LENR Reactor 18 GW 20,000 lbs to LEO On Sat, Feb 4, 2012 at 9:04 AM, Chemical Engineer <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: I will interpret "Nuclear Thermal Propulsion" to including LENR... 5 years would not be too bad for something not on the near horizon 1 year ago. Hopefully we can have a residential HVAC/Generator before that or at least something to heat our coffee. http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=13354 -- radiation mitigation for human spaceflight; -- guidance, navigation, and control; -- optical systems; -- long-duration crew health; -- solar power generation; -- high-contrast imaging and spectroscopy technologies; -- environmental control and life support systems; -- electric propulsion; -- detectors and focal planes; -- instruments and sensors; -- fission power generation; -- lightweight and multifunctional materials and structures; -- nuclear thermal propulsion; -- entry, descent, and landing thermal protection systems; -- active thermal control of cryogenic systems; and
