Catapulting mass from planetary objects
Abstract
An examination is conducted of the motion of a superconducting dipole in the field of a large flat solenoid. It is found that energy/mass ratios of about 1 MJ per kilogramme of dipole can be reached for an effective current density of about 400 A/sq mm in the dipole if the dimater of the dipole and solenoid are of the order of 6 m and 30 m, respectively. The values will be less critical if the dipole passes the fields of two solenoids. A method is proposed for stabilization of the dipole direction, and the deflection of the dipole's path from the vertical under small perturbations of the initial co-ordinates is determined.
- Publication:
-
Paris International Astronautical Federation Congress
- Pub Date:
- September 1982
- Bibcode:
- 1982pari.iafcQ....L
- Keywords:
-
- Catapults;
- Dipoles;
- Magnetic Dipoles;
- Payload Transfer;
- Solenoids;
- Space Transportation;
- Differential Equations;
- Mass Transfer;
- Superconductors;
- Physics (General)