By using, what I'm assuming to be, the relativistic kinematics equations, he calculated that a Ramjet engine could reach the andromeda galaxy in 23 years even if billions of years have passed on Earth with a constant acceleration of 1G , and in one year can reach 77% of the speed of light. Also, he states the Ramjet fusion engine essentially has endless supply of fuel, due to the abundance of hydrogen atoms in the universe. He states the only problem is building the required hydrogen scooper that would be 160 kilometers in diameter, but that it could be built in space with various techniques and funding.
Given this information, can we conclude that the Ramjet fusion engine will be the means of interstellar travel in the near or distant future?
Given this information, can we conclude that the Ramjet fusion engine will be the means of interstellar travel in the near or distant future?
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The ramjet idea has been around for almost a century, and it works - in theory.
The other major problem is that the ship with the ramjet has to be travelling fast enough before the ramjet collects enough matter. As far as I can remember (I did the calculations for the idea a long time ago, and don't want to re-do them), the ship has to be travelling at some 10% of the speed of light before the ramjet becomes effective, which we haven't yet achieved.
Oh, and even then, remember that the mass of an atom at those speeds has a great deal of momentum, which could tear the scoop (even if not totally material) apart.
So, in terms of your last question, a ramjet fusion engine would probably not be a viable means of intergalactic travel, not even interstellar. But then, it could be the basis of a technology that might work, just as ramjets led to the current jet engines....
The other major problem is that the ship with the ramjet has to be travelling fast enough before the ramjet collects enough matter. As far as I can remember (I did the calculations for the idea a long time ago, and don't want to re-do them), the ship has to be travelling at some 10% of the speed of light before the ramjet becomes effective, which we haven't yet achieved.
Oh, and even then, remember that the mass of an atom at those speeds has a great deal of momentum, which could tear the scoop (even if not totally material) apart.
So, in terms of your last question, a ramjet fusion engine would probably not be a viable means of intergalactic travel, not even interstellar. But then, it could be the basis of a technology that might work, just as ramjets led to the current jet engines....
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Sure, but even if his ship gains the speed of light in the first year of travel, in 23 years he has only traveled 23 light years. Since the speed of light is the maximum speed. The Andromeda Galaxy is some 2.5 million light years away! How exactly is travelling 23 light years allow you to arrive 2.5 million light years away? Even I, with just a BA degree can see the difficulty with that.