From: mikkelhaaheim@gmail.com   
      
   Le vendredi 29 juillet 2016 01:21:29 UTC+2, Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor) a écrit :   
   >    
   > 	In essence, remember that an orbit goes in a particular direction. If    
   > your solar sail is turned so that it vectors AGAINST that orbital    
   > direction, you will fall inward to a lower orbit. If you vector WITH    
   > that direction, you fall outward to a higher orbit. The combination    
   > allows you to go anywhere you like. You're not "tacking" in the same    
   > sense as water sailing, of course -- it's simply a matter of orbital    
   > mechanics -- but the net effect is yes, I can move to any orbit I like,    
   > which means I can dodge and come back.   
   >    
   It is true that Emmett does not have a full understanding of light sail   
   manoeuvres. OTOH, keep in mind that tacking manoeuvres will require   
   significantly larger sail areas. Also remember that such sails are inherently   
   vulnerable to impacts. Large sails    
   are also rather easy to track.   
      
      
   >    
   > 	And I assure you, your repeated volleying of 50+km salvoes will be    
   > costing you vastly more than the slight increased wear-and-tear.   
      
   No. Because even small wear and tear will require expensive support.   
      
   >    
   > >   
   > > Which sounds like a valid war tactic to me.   
   >    
   > 	If you don't mind making the only habitable world in your solar system    
   > unreachable, yeah. Not seeing that happening in any reasonable timeframe.   
   >    
      
   In the context we are discussing, Earth is no longer the only habitable world.   
   The fact of there being a space based navy, with assets worth defending,   
   implies that sufficient infrastructure has been developed to make the outer   
   planets and moons    
   habitable by permanently established colonies.   
   In any case, the velocities of the shells will result in them being ejected   
   from the solar system completely. The shells will also continue to disperse,   
   meaning that they would provide no more navigational obstruction than current   
   meteoroids.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)