starship-design: Re: Light RamScoop?

[TLG.van.der.Linden@tip.nl (Timothy van der Linden)]

Kelly wrote:

>>OK, but how do they get towards the ship again? (instead of only nearer to
>>the path of the ship)
>
>They could manuver ahead of the ship and just drift until the ship caught
>up with them.  Assuming they ever needed to get closer to the ship.

OK, I had thought of a similar thing, just wondered if you had an other idea :)

>>I also have doubts about the efficiency, pushing particles over many
>>thousant kilometers, getting them just in front of the ship at the right
>>time seems extremely difficult (if not impossible).
>
>Can't answer that, but I thought this might be doable with a lighter system
>then a physicalmesh.  Say by bringing it closer to the line of flight so
>that more could be scoped up with a smaller scoop mechanism.

Lighter it is, the idea is good, but to make it practical more thought is
needed.

Timothy