[AR] Re: Catching Oumuamua
- From: Nels Anderson <nels.anderson@xxxxxxx>
- To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2021 06:36:32 -0500
On 2/27/21 9:42 AM, Robert Steinke wrote:
That close to the sun it should be easier to do high thrust solar
thermal. Wikipedia says Isp up to 1000 seconds so the mass ratio would
need to be ~4.5. Use a drop tank for boiloff so the burn starts out
with a full tank.
The thing that puzzles me about the usual small-aphelion solar thermal
propulsion idea is, isn't it going to be just way too much fun to keep a
big tank of hydrogen from boiling off during the months-long ride in
from 1 AU?
I wonder whether lithium could be attractive as an alternative
propellant near the sun.
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