giles@ucf-cs.UUCP (11/11/83)
Setting aside for a second the question of flexing in the launch path
due to non-inertial forces, would it be possible to have the launched
vehicles "select" their own terminal velocities?
If a vehicle is coupled to *both* tracks, it should be possible to
adjust the amount of acceleration from each track to the right
value for NEO, LEO, geostat, cis-lunar, or even interplanetary (if
the loop is travelling fast enough).
<--- 15 km/sec
===============================================================
-------------------
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ +
+ +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-------------------
===============================================================
15 km/sec --->
This would offer a clear advantage, as not all traffic would want
to travel to geostat, and speeding up/slowing down the loop would
be a major task. The loop could be kept near its operational peak
speed, and thus heavy traffic could use it without degrading the
system by their heavy demand on the stored energy.
The problems I see (at first glance) are:
<1>: Will the loop be heated beyond its Curie point?
<2>: Will the torque created whenever a vehicle is using both
segments degrade the system, or can it be "absorbed" locally.
<3>: Alternately, could this torque be used to "aim" the loop,
thus permitting orbital inclinations?
<4>: Or would it just be easier to only partially use the one
loop segment when a lower orbit is desired?
Comments?
Bruce Giles
decvax!ucf-cs!giles (UUCP)
UCF, Dept of Math, Orlando Fl 32816 (Snail)