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In Reply to: Light up a torch that big (and hot) and you are going to be a tourist ..nt.. posted by late on December 11, 2003 at 13:50:00:
I'm not exactly sure what it is you're saying, but the thrust of the film (pun unintended) is exactly that. The spacecraft becomes the means for mankind's (and Earth's) demise -- unless of course, a solution is found in time.
Follow Ups:
Hi,
sure it would make a mess. For about 2 seconds. That is enough thrust to get you to a fraction of C. That amount of thrust is unbelievable; having an equal opposite thrust to keep it in place is twice as unbelievable. But I wouldn't mind having one of those to play with.
True enough, if the spacecraft were performing as designed, but it was shot at and disabled -- this could now cause the energy to become more dispersed instead of focused. The net thrust vector in a forward direction could be significantly smaller (although still substantial) than before. This would cause the exhaust to be felt on the surface, where, if it were not hit, be felt only in a small narrow field behind the craft. It would be analogus to trying to launch a rocket without using an exhaust nozzel under the rocket's engine(s). The heat and blast energy would go out in all directions -- the net upward thrust vector would now be only a small fraction of what is necessary to lift the rocket. The rest, is now wasted heat -- where one once stood to watch a spectacular launch would now become a place to become incinerated.
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