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Author Topic: Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth  (Read 1480 times)

Offline sam

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THE risk to spacecraft from a collision with space debris could be reduced by equipping launchers with a gossamer-thin "sail". The idea is to deploy the sail after the rocket has released its payload to amplify the drag of the last vestiges of the atmosphere, and so force the rocket out of orbit.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227045.900-space-sail-could-bring-used-rockets-back-to-earth.html
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Offline Simon

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Re: Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2009, 17:47 »
Personally, I'd be more concerned about where they landed when they come back to Earth.   :)
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Offline sam

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Re: Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2009, 18:29 »
I think the idea is to let it burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.

As for bringing things down - they are quite good at bringing them down in 'right' place.
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Offline Simon

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Re: Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2009, 19:34 »
The Houses of Parliament would be a good landing spot!  :devil:
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Offline captainhaddock

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Re: Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2009, 19:44 »
Not exactly a new idea, think it was Larry Niven first proposed it but I may be wrong, I usually am  ;D

Offline sam

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Re: Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth
« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2009, 23:36 »
oh, most ideas aren't normally new ones...
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Offline Simon

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Re: Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2009, 00:09 »
Not exactly a new idea, think it was Larry Niven first proposed it but I may be wrong, I usually am  ;D

Oi!  I'm the one who's always wrong around here, and I have exclusive rights to it!  :out:  ;D
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Offline captainhaddock

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Re: Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2009, 08:15 »
 ;D


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