[SpaceProgram] Lagrange Solar Sail Challenge

[Lee von Kraus]

not considering wind resistance it would take:

11.1 seconds to fall 2000 feet, or

13.7 seconds to fall 3000 feet.

(I used this website: http://www.gravitycalc.com/)




On Thu, Oct 4, 2012 at 12:44 PM, Matt Johnson <railmeat at gmail.com> wrote:

> How long would the free fall be for a 2000 foot fall? I wonder if it
> would be enough. We would probably need a much higher balloon and
> tether. Of course this exacerbates the problems of hoisting the tether
> and gondola and powering the gondola. This is almost starting to sound
> like engineering.
>
> --
> Matt
>
> On Thu, Oct 4, 2012 at 7:53 AM, Lee von Kraus <leevonk at gmail.com> wrote:
> > the website says the helikites can go up "thousands" of feet, not sure
> how
> > many thousands though, but I guess at least more than 2000 if their using
> > the word correctly.
> >
> > You're right about all that cable weight weighing things down too much.
> So
> > it might be best to have a space-elevator-like gondola (as suggested
> > previously by Matt) thing that can climb up the single rope that's
> anchoring
> > the helikite to the ground. The gondola can be powered by a laser from
> the
> > ground (although I'm not sure how far a reasonably sized laser can shoot
> > power). That gondola would drive the capsule up to the helikite and then
> > 'throw' the capsule off and let it fall to the ground where we could have
> > some sort of cushion to catch it. The capsules could have fins on them to
> > better ensure that they fall straight down
> >
> > As the fallen capsule is being retrieved the gondola would already be on
> its
> > way back down to get the same, or another capsule. The system wouldn't be
> > too speedy but would still be a useful tool, I'd imagine the demand for
> > usage would be pretty high from schools and amateur scientists that can't
> > afford other micro-G options.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Oct 4, 2012 at 7:29 AM, Jerry Isdale <jerry at mauimakers.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Depending on how high you go and the kg/m mass of the cable, it is
> >> possible that the weight of the 2x length of cable could be more than
> the
> >> weight of the winch.
> >> using this kevlar rope as a guide...
> >> http://www.pelicanrope.com/kevlar12strandrope.html
> >> say we pick the 7/16", 15,000lb tensile strength rope at 5lbs/100ft.
> >> ('cause thats an easy weight)
> >> a 1,000ft length will weigh... 50lbs?
> >>
> >> 1000 ft will not give much free fall time. Parabolic flights are on the
> >> order of 8000ft deltas ...400lbs
> >> Although rolling all that cable up into the helikite would require a lot
> >> of space/big spool.
> >>
> >> Jerry Isdale
> >> http://MauiMakers.com
> >> http://www.mauimakers.com/blog/thursday-public-meeting/
> >>
> >> On Oct 3, 2012, at 5:04 AM, Lee von Kraus wrote:
> >>
> >> 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
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>
> >>
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> >
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