Space Day 2008

Here in the desert rough town where I have retired in the NW USA, "space projects" means "UFOs and other nonsense" and nothing else can penetrate their awareness.

So it is a slightly more solitary effort I do here.

Since it is closely connected to energy supply potentials, my interest has lately focused on ground-based renewable energy sources.

But not entirely. Part of the effort in communicating such things is to be able to convey mathematical expressions in writing on the net. Turns out it takes $90 to get software to write equations even in mere word processors, although the early software "Equation Editor" that came with computers long ago, with stern admonitions re its use (buy $90 software so you will be free to write math equations, really cuts down who will use math to approach energy solutions on the net) but I have discovered a free software that is rather off the edge but may be able to do the equations (and use screen grab to be able to show others) and also, with some learning of an unusual system, it will also solve the math too. So I have been struggling to learn to use the software, while slowly figuring out how to input the re-calculations I did in less than an hour a couple of days ago but is handwritten; using a calculator and the "Physics 101" software at times to speed things up. But now to put into computer-displayable form.

My handwritten calculations done a couple of days ago, using "Physics 101" to re-do calculations some of which I had done back circa 1970 when all I had was a slide rule and not even a 4-function calculator. The fun thing about it is I get the same answers when using the software.

For now, although I still need to figure out how to display the calculations, for my isolated lonely Space Day 2008 celebration contribution, that re-calculations of earth escape velocity energy given to a one-kilogram mass, does indeed take 6.247e7 Joules per kilogram, which is 17.4 KW-hour per kilogram.

At an example cost for electric power of 10 cents per Kilowatt-hour, that is $1.74 of electrical energy cost, which is given to 1 Kg mass in the process of moving it from the equator to an infinite distance if only considering Earth's gravitational well.

Now if one calculates the same way for the escape velocity energy given to 1 Kg, but starting at GEO, is 9.418e6 Joules or 2.6 KWh.

Subtracting the energy needed to escape from GEO altitude, from the escape energy from earth surface, gives the energy needed to reach GEO altitude from ground. That difference is 14.8 KWh. But that is straight up, and to stay there it needs to be given a horizontal push to reach orbital velocity in GEO, another 1.3 KWh for a total of 16.1 KWh to go from the ground on the equator up into GEO orbit and stay there.

Since 1 Kg = 2.2 pounds mass, that is 7.3 KWh per pound mass put into GEO from the ground. At the example cost of electrical energy of 10 cents per KWh, that means 73 cents of energy is given to a pound of mass by moving it from ground up into GEO orbit.

Lots could be built in GEO if transportation up to there were anything like that price.

Of course, I have been finding possible ways to do that, fun fun. Even beyond the anchored earth tether "Space Elevator" concepts. Can be done. But not with my resources. Yet to a lonely old man in the desert, it is a nice vision for mankind, on this anniversary of man's first steps on the lunar surface.