[SpaceProgram] Lagrange Solar Sail Challenge

[Lee von Kraus]

here is a link better describing the advantages of helikites:

http://www.allsopp.co.uk/index.php?mod=page&id_pag=24



On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 10:26 AM, Lee von Kraus <leevonk at gmail.com> wrote:

> Alex, no offense taken, but you somehow managed to restate as your own
> almost every part of the idea that I posted in the original email,...
>
> As for what to use as an aerostat, I provided a link in the first email
> that describes a kite/balloon hybrid ('helikite') that would probably work
> really well. The balloon part allows it to stay up in zero wind and the
> kite part adds stability and lift in high wind conditions.
>
> Matt, that's a really good idea. The climbing mechanism could be useful
> but also, as in the space elevators, the power supply for the helikite's
> winch mechanism could be delivered via laser from the ground. That way the
> helikite wouldn't have to hold up the weight of power supply cables too.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 6:59 AM, Matt Johnson <railmeat at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> It sounds like you should talk to the space elevator folks about
>> climbing tether quickly.
>>
>> --
>> Matt Johnson
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Oct 2, 2012 at 10:37 PM, Alex Cureton-Griffiths
>> <alexcg at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Maybe have a line tethered to a weather balloon and have payloads
>> somehow
>> > get 'carried' up the line like a cable car. That way can do tests much
>> more
>> > quickly since don't have to send balloon up and down all the time.
>> >
>> > Having said that, I have no idea how you could pull that off myself :)
>> Could
>> > also use a kite instead of a weather balloon, though not sure if could
>> get
>> > to the right altitude
>> >
>> > On 3 Oct, 2012, at 1:11 PM, Lee von Kraus wrote:
>> >
>> > How about making and demonstrating a miniature microgravity 'generator'
>> to
>> > allow DIY testing of things in microgravity on earth. It would be pretty
>> > easy and cheap and would open space research to the masses by allowing
>> short
>> > duration generation of microgravity conditions. It could be a
>> > weather-balloon-dropped capsule or something with cameras build into the
>> > inside to allow observation of whatever short duration experiment one is
>> > interested in. This is a relatively quick and easy project that would
>> help
>> > attract attention and funding, while also facilitating hackerspaces in
>> doing
>> > their own future experiments.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On Tue, Oct 2, 2012 at 11:41 PM, Jerry Isdale <jerry at mauimakers.com>
>> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Apparently Arthur C Clarke did a story on Solar Sail racing (Sunjammer,
>> >> aka The Wind from the Sun, ~1963)
>> >>   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunjammer
>> >>
>> >> A graphic novel/short of it is at
>> >>    http://240plan.ovh.net/~upngmmxw/imag/bd/bd_a.htm
>> >>
>> >> Jerry Isdale
>> >> http://MauiMakers.com
>> >> http://www.mauimakers.com/blog/thursday-public-meeting/
>> >>
>> >> On Oct 1, 2012, at 2:51 PM, Matt Johnson wrote:
>> >>
>> >> I think that is an outstanding idea. It is rather ambitious, has
>> >> anyone even been able to steer a solar sail yet?
>> >>
>> >> I agree with Alex a spacers cup might attract some real money.
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Matt Johnson
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Sun, Sep 30, 2012 at 9:42 PM, Jerry Isdale <isdale at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> What do you think of a challenge to sail a solar sail around 3 earth
>> >>
>> >> Lagrange points?
>> >>
>> >> Would it be possible to control a sail to navigate around three such
>> >> points?
>> >>
>> >> Maybe have a Spacers Cup, akin to America's Cup sail race.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Jerry Isdale
>> >>
>> >> isdale at gmail.com
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
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