[SpaceProgram] Lagrange Solar Sail Challenge

Wed Oct 3 17:04:16 CEST 2012

The best way to maximize the allowable experimental capsule weight would be
to* have all the motor mechanisms on the ground *as shown in the attached
figure. That way the only mechanism, other than the capsule, that needs to
be carried by the helikite is a pulley (and the weight of the capsule
line).

On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 10:42 AM, Lee von Kraus <leevonk at gmail.com> wrote:

> Here are some useful excerpts:
> "
> The 10 cubic metre Skyhook Helikite is able to fly to thousands of feet in
> winds up to 50 mph lifting a payload of 5kg.
>
> Helikites are designed for foul weather deployment and foul weather
> flight. Even the largest Skyhook Helikites can be launched and retrieved in
> all the winds that they can fly in. So deployment and flight can occur
> safely in winds up to 50 or 60 mph.
>
> The new Cased Helikite Aerostat Maintainable Platform (CHAMP) (see
> products section) allows the deployment of a 10 cubic metre Skyhook
> Helikite within 30 minutes. The unique part of the CHAMP is that it also
> includes an excellent Helibase with top cover thus also creating a
> permanent, safe base for the Helikite - not just a minimal launch platform.
>
> Helikites can even be launched and recovered remotely - with no people
> present at all. They are simply winched off or onto the Helibase.
> "
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at 10:37 AM, Lee von Kraus <leevonk at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> 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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>>>> >>
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>>>> >>
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>>>> >>
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>>>> >>
>>>> >>
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>>>> >>
>>>> >>
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>>>> >>
>>>> >
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>>>> >
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>>>
>>>
>>
>
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