From: mikkelhaaheim@gmail.com   
      
   Le dimanche 30 octobre 2016 22:35:21 UTC+1, nu...@bid.nes a écrit :   
   > On Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 10:35:08 AM UTC-7, Mikkel Haaheim wrote:   
   > > Le mercredi 5 octobre 2016 19:51:29 UTC+2, Rick Pikul/Chakat Firepaw a   
   écrit :   
   > >    
   > > Okay, I have a few minutes here.   
   >    
   >   We all have offline lives. I think.   
   >    
   > > Snip the calculations that I freely accept.   
   > >    
   > > > There are other possibilities, such as nuclear.  However, at those power    
   > > > levels you aren't going to be able to hide the reactors so you would end    
   > > > up with one of two situations:  Either you create something that says    
   > > > "look at me!" all the time if it's a fission system or something that    
   > > > screams "I'm about to do something big!" the instant a fusion system    
   > > > powers up.   
   > > >    
   > > > Using multiple launchers and a slower rate of fire will help, but to get    
   > > > it down to something that isn't spotted instantly would mean having what    
   > > > amounts to a single-shot system.  (Better hope nothing ever happens with    
   > > > your energy storage system, if you think a cellphone battery failure is    
   > > > nasty....)   
   > >    
   > > Again, not about not being detected, but about not being noticed.   
   > > All of this will be part of an infrastructure that will be supporting all   
   the   
   > > increased mining and manufacturing rates anyway. You need energy to get   
   ores   
   > > from the mining sites to the processing sites. You need energy to get   
   > > processed ores from the processing sites to the manufacturing sites. You   
   need   
   > > energy to get from manufacturing sites to distribution sites. Mass drivers   
   > > are going to be the mainstay railyards for the next few centuries (most   
   > > likely). Daily outputs of a few thousand tonnes aren't going to be the   
   > > average load... they will be the minimal loads.   
   > >   
   > > Launching activity and power levels will not be noticed because these   
   levels   
   > > will fit well within the norm.   
   > > >    
   > > > You don't get quite how phenomenal the numbers involved are.   
   > >    
   > > Actually, I do. YOU are failing to understand how miniscule these numbers   
   > > will be compared to a thriving interplanetary civilisation.   
   >    
   >   Mass drivers as railheads is a fair analogy, but...   
   >    
   >   Tonnage per shot isn't the issue, launch velocity ~= dV on target is.   
   Adapting commercial launchers to military purposes won't be a matter of just   
   cranking up the input power. (Launch lasers are a different matter.)   
      
   Keep in mind that that tonnage ALSO has to deal with delta-V. Actually, for   
   the military application, I have rather been assuming that an even larger   
   tonnage rate for commercial traffic will be reduced considerably for a little   
   extra delta-V.   
      
   >    
   >   Commercial loads aren't going to be in any hurry just as they aren't on   
   today's railroads because the load has to be intercepted and decelerated   
   safely so it can be processed. Commercial launchers will be built to handle   
   much less stress and    
   dissipate much less energy than military ones. Rocket sleds haven't been   
   converted to commercial uses.   
      
   Depends upon the commercial load, and where it is going. Interplanetary   
   commercial loads still have to deal with large delta-Vs.   
      
   >    
   >   Military launchers will be purpose-built and will have to dissipate much   
   more energy per shot than commercial launchers to get enough dV to reliably   
   destroy the "catcher".   
      
   There will, of course, be purpose built military units. However, keep in mind   
   that the military DOES have a precedence for using commercial tech (with and   
   without modifications). For example, JSTARS and Sentry were both modifications   
   of 707 jetliners    
   that Boeing couldn't sell to anyone else because they were becoming obselete.   
      
   >    
   >   If you assume commercial catchers that can handle your assumed large fast   
   loads exist, they too can be adapted for defensive use.   
      
   Yes they can... IFF they know that the load is coming, and if they are   
   properly placed. Also, orientation is a factor. Some loads will probably   
   incorporate aerobreaking and/or gravity assist trajectories.   
      
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