Three-week voyages across 1 AU could be made in large sailing craft propelled by microwaves generated at power stations operating at 0.1 AU from the sun. The power stations could be built of mercurian materials launched by mass driver to building sites in solar orbit. A Clarke Station 28 km in radius could generate 64 TW of microwaves and support the operation of a 1000-tonne, 1000-passenger vessel. The ability to build near-sun power stations of mercurian materials would not only support high-speed transport but solar system development in general. (ERA citation 10:028257)


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    Title :

    Clarke Stations and Mercurian Mass-Drivers: Energy for Large-Scale Transportation Systems


    Contributors:
    E. M. Jones (author)

    Publication date :

    1985


    Size :

    11 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





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