On 11 Mar 2004 04:23:50 -0600, (Gordon
D. Pusch) wrote:

"George Kinley" writes:

Are there any way for rockets to fly in space , other then throwing mass
out in one direction and moving in other

1.) The _definition_ of a "rocket" is "something that throws mass
(or more precisely, _momentum_) out in one direction in order to
accelerate in the opposite direction." If it _doesn't_ "throw mass
out the back," it _ISN'T A ROCKET_.

2.) Anything that does _not_ "throw mass out the back" (or more precisely,
_momentum_) in order to accelerate would violate Newton's 3rd Law of Motion
(AKA, the conservation of Momentum). In 300 years, _NO ONE_ has observed
a replicatable violation of Conservation of Momentum.


-- Gordon D. Pusch

How about assembling a long tapered fuel rod in space. Really long fuel rod
and reasonably straight to boot. Make an entry hole up front where the
useless pointy end would have been and have the "rocket" ingest the fuel
instead of accelerating it. The devil is in the details, yes I know.

--

Boris Mohar