[ExI] De-Orbiting Gold

spike spike66 at att.net
Mon May 21 17:34:38 UTC 2012


>... On Behalf Of Eugen Leitl
Subject: Re: [ExI] De-Orbiting Gold

On Sat, May 19, 2012 at 11:52:59PM -0700, spike wrote:

>>... This particular scheme wouldn't work, but keep thinking, there might
be some way to get this done.  Not by dropping a huge ball with copper
however.

...

>...You don't have to worry about canned monkeys or even finicky payload, so
you can hit 100-300 g decceleration with no problem...


Hmmm, actually you cannot.  The payload ins not the problem, but rather that
those kinds of decelerations are not available from any aerobraking reentry
event.  I don't have those equations memorized, but I worked with them
extensively a long time ago, and can look it up and post it here if anyone
is interested, or perhaps write up a spreadsheet.  The equations predict
maximum deceleration as a function of reentry angle.

In order to get high angles of reentry (which go with high G decelerations,
the kind you would need if you wanted to drop your payload in a specific
place) you need a lot of delta V delivered in a short span with a good
sturdy competent control system.  If on the other hand, you use minimal
control aerobraking, you will likely drop your payload into the sea, and
even if you hit land somewhere it would likely be lost in the jungle or in
some commie's backyard, who then would be unwilling to give it back, without
your paying her a pile-ski of rubles.

spike 




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