Tether/station momentum exchange ( TGD)

--- In spacesettlers@y..., "John Frazer" wrote:
> Momentum exchange tether/stations are an important idea. Not nearly
as far
> out or outlandish as they may seem. (Presently, Boeing & NASA are
working
> with Tethers Unlimited)
>
> Ed Minchau wrote:
> >Mass launched from a wheel station would be
> >launched tangentially to the axis of rotation,
> >thus either increasing or decreasing the rotation
> >rate of the station without displacing it from
> >its orbit if so desired - multiple regular
> >launches would ensure stability of the station as a
> >whole, both in orbital maintenance (use slag), and
> >in rotational rate.
>
> Check this out further; From reading about rotating tethers, it has
been
> made clear that releasing something from a spinning arm (whether a
rope or
> station hull) _does not_ affect the rotation rate, but rather the
orbital
> momentum of the releasing body.
> Releasing something gives it the exact amount of energy that the
end of the
> arm has in relation to the center; If the tip is moving 1.5km/sec
relative
> to the center, the load is given this much delta-V.
> For a spinning station or a tether with a massive ballast, the
velocity lost
> is not immediately critical.
>

I am not talking about tethers at all. What I have in mind is a
torus-shaped mass driver around the perimeter of the station. Delta
vee is affected, yes, but pretty much equally in all directions for
each complete circuit (well, not exactly, since the projectile is
accelerating the release point can be calculated so that this is
true). The net effect is on the station's spin rather than the orbit.

> Mackenzie (author of the above article) does not involve such
things as the
> more exotic abilities of spinning tethers, or ED orbital boosting.
He
> deliberately keeps the initial systems small & simple.

Electromagnetic mass drivers have no moving parts.

> Cumulative boosting of loads will definately bleed orbital energy -
thus
> orbital height, and this must be made up. Cumulative dropping of
loads onto
> the planet will conversely raise the orbit.
>

Like I said, use slag for orbital maintenance.

:) ed