another alternative to building stations.

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "Alexander Roderick"
wrote:
>
>...As superconductor technology is not there yet, the lightsail is a
> more effective choice at the moment...
>
that's why I'm proposing the solar sail, it can be done now.
>
> Your idea of using a solar-powered satellite to deliver power via a
laser
> has come up more than once, and seems to be an elegant solution.
The only
> issue is the total reliance on targeting accuracy, and therefore
timing.
> Aiming a laser at something that is potentially light-hours away is
a dicey
> proposition, especially when that object accelerates.
>
i guess i did not make it clear, I'm talking about neos which by
definition are inside the orbit of mars at the apogee. earth is about
8 light minutes from the sun and mars would be about 16. since venis
is about 4, that means the farthest the laser would be from the sail,
would be maybe 20 minutes top. since it would be only decelerating or
accelerating in a staight (orbital) line (any manuver would require
that the beam be turn away, before the sail could be changed) the
potition of the sail would be easy to calcuate the proper angle to
send the beam. the great majority of time the laser satalite would be
on the same side and the asteroid would be inside or near earths
orbit. that would mean a seperation of maybe 5 to 10 light minutes.