Hypersonics Overhype

Ool ) wrote:
: "Eric Chomko" wrote in message ...
: TKalbfus ) wrote:

: : So much for *cheap* access to space. I wonder how long it would take
: : to make back the investment in a 90,000 foot tall vertical maglev to
: : launch a scramjet.

: : Depends on your rate of launch. I must correct myself: 90,000 ft is about 15
: : miles high. I think scramjets can be mass produced. One possible application is

: 17 miles!!


: All of us *metric* users around the world are laughing our asses off
: right now.

If the use of metric would solve the problem of creating a 90,000 ft or
27.5 km high tower then you would be making a point. Otherwise, you are
amused about the differences bewteen two systems of weights and measures.

Eric


: --
: __ “A good leader knows when it’s best to ignore the __
: ('__` screams for help and focus on the bigger picture.� '__`)
: //6(6; ©OOL mmiv :^)^\\
: `\_-/ http://home.t-online.de/home/ulrich....lmann/redbaron \-_/'

Sander Vesik ) wrote:
: Ool wrote:
: "Eric Chomko" wrote in message ...
: TKalbfus ) wrote:
:
: : So much for *cheap* access to space. I wonder how long it would take
: : to make back the investment in a 90,000 foot tall vertical maglev to
: : launch a scramjet.
:
: : Depends on your rate of launch. I must correct myself: 90,000 ft is about 15
: : miles high. I think scramjets can be mass produced. One possible application is
:
: 17 miles!!
:
:
: All of us *metric* users around the world are laughing our asses off
: right now.
:

: And a mile being 52x0 feet ( forget the value of x, but it was not 0),
: its not even exactly 17 miles. doing serious measurements in inches,
: feet and miles is in most cases just hillarious.

And to think we build houses everyday using them.

Explain to me why fractions of 1/10 are better suited than fractions of
1/2.

Eric

: --
: Sander

: +++ Out of cheese error +++

Alain Fournier ) wrote:
: Sander Vesik wrote:

: Ool wrote:
:
:
: "Eric Chomko" wrote in message ...
:
:
: TKalbfus ) wrote:
:
:
: : So much for *cheap* access to space. I wonder how long it would take
: : to make back the investment in a 90,000 foot tall vertical maglev to
: : launch a scramjet.
:
:
: : Depends on your rate of launch. I must correct myself: 90,000 ft is about 15
: : miles high. I think scramjets can be mass produced. One possible application is
:
:
: 17 miles!!
:
:
: All of us *metric* users around the world are laughing our asses off
: right now.
:
:
:
:
: And a mile being 52x0 feet ( forget the value of x, but it was not 0),
: its not even exactly 17 miles. doing serious measurements in inches,
: feet and miles is in most cases just hillarious.
:

: Using the meter instead of feet wouldn't of made the math any easier.
: Converting
: 90,000 ft into miles isn't any more difficult as converting 27,432 m
: into miles :-)

Yes, this whole line of reasoning would imply that the MCO failure was
inherently an "American" problem.

The Europeans use the English Language and don't bitch about that!
When ALGOL, the computer language, was invented compound statments were
done using "BEGIN" and "END". Why not the latin equivalents?

Eric

: Alain Fournier

Ian Stirling ) wrote:
: Alain Fournier wrote:
: Sander Vesik wrote:
:
: Ool wrote:
:
:
: "Eric Chomko" wrote in message ...
:
:
: TKalbfus ) wrote:
:
:
: : So much for *cheap* access to space. I wonder how long it would take
: : to make back the investment in a 90,000 foot tall vertical maglev to
: : launch a scramjet.
:
:
: : Depends on your rate of launch. I must correct myself: 90,000 ft is about 15
: : miles high. I think scramjets can be mass produced. One possible application is
:
:
: 17 miles!!
:
:
: All of us *metric* users around the world are laughing our asses off
: right now.
:
:
:
:
: And a mile being 52x0 feet ( forget the value of x, but it was not 0),
: its not even exactly 17 miles. doing serious measurements in inches,
: feet and miles is in most cases just hillarious.
:
:
: Using the meter instead of feet wouldn't of made the math any easier.
: Converting

: For me it would.
: Anyone else remember the mile-kilometer ratio as 186-300?

..62 and 1.61 which is 1/.62. This is the first thing I learned when living
overseas.

Eric

on Thu, 8 Apr 2004 23:35:39 +0000 (UTC), Eric Chomko
sez:

` If the use of metric would solve the problem of creating a 90,000 ft or
` 27.5 km high tower then you would be making a point. Otherwise, you are
` amused about the differences bewteen two systems of weights and measures.

Build your tower rather like a pyramid, out of bricks with an aspect
ratio similar to egyptian pyramid stones, but with about the size
of the goodyear blimp, and of somewhat similar construction - probably
kevlar fabric with an airtight membrane. Sew or clip the bags together.
Their net density will be slightly greater than air, but not a lot,
so you will avoid turning your underlying tectonic plate into a
tectonic teacup. Make your rail gun a straight line at a relatively
low angle, perhaps 30 degrees to the ground, and circularize your
orbit with a manoeuvring rocket at apogee. The rail gun should be
within an evacuated tube, with the whole length at an air pressure
in the order of the ambient pressure at the top.

Personally, I think it makes more sense to launch a small business
jet sized craft from a mother craft, using jettisonable boosters
to get it to hypersonic region where it engages with a descending
tether, which can be made from existing thread material for this
combination of distance and velocity, which lifts it to orbit.
It might turn out to be more practical in future to use a scramjet
system insead of/in addition to the boosters, depending on how the
research plays out, if it provides a longer period of time and
better manoeuvrability for the craft to align and mate with the
tether.


--
================================================== ========================
Pete Vincent
Disclaimer: all I know I learned from reading Usenet.

"pete" wrote in message ...

Personally, I think it makes more sense to launch a small business
jet sized craft from a mother craft, using jettisonable boosters
to get it to hypersonic region where it engages with a descending
tether, which can be made from existing thread material for this
combination of distance and velocity, which lifts it to orbit.
It might turn out to be more practical in future to use a scramjet
system insead of/in addition to the boosters, depending on how the
research plays out, if it provides a longer period of time and
better manoeuvrability for the craft to align and mate with the
tether.


Only problem I see with that is that there is is a fine line of skill
between Tarzan and a supersonic George of the Jungle...



--
__ “A good leader knows when it’s best to ignore the __
('__` screams for help and focus on the bigger picture.� '__`)
//6(6; ©OOL mmiv :^)^\\
`\_-/ http://home.t-online.de/home/ulrich....lmann/redbaron \-_/'

In article ,
Ian Stirling wrote:

Anyone else remember the mile-kilometer ratio as 186-300?

No.

But, if you add a few zeroes (3) to those numbers they *do* look
familiar somehow :-) It's not just a good idea, it's the law.

-- Bruce