I stumbled onto this a while ago: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_antenna
Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
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Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#12Earlier quoted context omitted.
I thought there was a clause making all technology available for national defence, regardless of patents... but can't find the source. Anyone?
That may be true in the US but what about in other jurisdictions? I mean doctor's have the Hippocrates oath of do no harm to the patient but (and not to come over all tree-hugging peacenik like) why do chemists/bioengineers/physicists not have a similar oath with respect to the our species or other species in general or the planet in its entirety? But I guess the scientists do the theorizing and the engineers and cod…
Other jurisdictions can certainly make similar exceptions for themselves.
Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#13That should read Theoretically Solve but I admire the ingenuity nonetheless and hope that the road from theory to practice is short and uneventful. A shame this hack has military applications, it would be nice if every now and again scientists patented their discoveries and precluded military use in doing so. [ Please don't downvote me for expressing this sentiment :) ]
Pretty hard to lock down a communications technology to "no military use". What are they going to do, ask pretty please don't do that with a cherry on top?
Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
I thought there was a clause making all technology available for national defence, regardless of patents... but can't find the source. Anyone?
That may be true in the US but what about in other jurisdictions? I mean doctor's have the Hippocrates oath of do no harm to the patient but (and not to come over all tree-hugging peacenik like) why do chemists/bioengineers/physicists not have a similar oath with respect to the our species or other species in general or the planet in its entirety? But I guess the scientists do the theorizing and the engineers and cod…
In Canada, there is a Ritual Calling of the Engineer, which has an "Obligation" which is not exactly an oath. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ritual_of_the_Calling_of_an... I'll paste the text here if I can find it.
Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#15This might be a completely dumb idea and it must've been explored before, but how about attaching the antenna to a string and trailing it behind the ship at a considerable distance to clear the extent of the plasma shield. Is it that no string is strong or plasma-resistant enough?
Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#16Anyone else see a weird font used for double-F's?
Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
I thought there was a clause making all technology available for national defence, regardless of patents... but can't find the source. Anyone?
That may be true in the US but what about in other jurisdictions? I mean doctor's have the Hippocrates oath of do no harm to the patient but (and not to come over all tree-hugging peacenik like) why do chemists/bioengineers/physicists not have a similar oath with respect to the our species or other species in general or the planet in its entirety? But I guess the scientists do the theorizing and the engineers and cod…
Would this be an oath to not implement technology in offensive ways?
Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#18This might be a completely dumb idea and it must've been explored before, but how about attaching the antenna to a string and trailing it behind the ship at a considerable distance to clear the extent of the plasma shield. Is it that no string is strong or plasma-resistant enough?
When re-entering, spacecraft are being decelerated, so anything towed behind the spacecraft will catch up with it. A rigid pole might work.
Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#19This might be a completely dumb idea and it must've been explored before, but how about attaching the antenna to a string and trailing it behind the ship at a considerable distance to clear the extent of the plasma shield. Is it that no string is strong or plasma-resistant enough?
When re-entering, spacecraft are being decelerated, so anything towed behind the spacecraft will catch up with it. A rigid pole might work.
I think the plasma forms a complete enclosure, i.e. there is no "break" in its surface at the tail of the spacecraft. The pole will need to cross the surface of the plasma shield meaning an exposure to very high temperatures. OTOH the pole can be insulated the same way the front of the craft is. It looks doable in principle, so I wonder what other problems are there.
Could it be that extending the pole during the descent makes the design of the hull more complex and through that more fragile?
Re: Russian Physicists Solve Radio Black-Out Problem for Re-Entering Spacecraft
#20That should read Theoretically Solve but I admire the ingenuity nonetheless and hope that the road from theory to practice is short and uneventful. A shame this hack has military applications, it would be nice if every now and again scientists patented their discoveries and precluded military use in doing so. [ Please don't downvote me for expressing this sentiment :) ]
What do you do then when Country X ignores the patent and incorperates it into THEIR military? Your idea sounds like voluntarily hobbling yourself for idealistic reasons.