XPost: sci.space.policy   
   From: alcore@uurth.com   
      
   On 9 Aug 2005, William Mook wrote:   
      
   [snip]   
   >The building wouldn't be a building either.  It would be four pipelines   
   >in parallel.  Two propellant pipelines, one aerogel precursor pipeline,   
   >and one mixing line - that opened along its length.  Propellant and   
   >aerogel would be mixed in the mixing line - and the mixing line would   
   >then be opened.  The effects of local winds over the length of the   
   >pipeline would largely cancel due to the immense drag of a miles long   
   >stick of material you already mention.   
   [snip]   
      
   Large Blimps and Zeppelins certainly care about winds...   
      
   But you are probably just writng those off as "too small" and "local"...   
      
   Ok, What about regional wind patterns.  Say a low pressure center driving   
   a circulation pattern several hundred miles across...   
      
   What about coriolis?  Since you are talking about making a thing that big,   
   coriolis forces *are* going to be a problem.   
      
   Since you are writing off "local" wind effects, then mesoscale effects   
   must matter... how about pressure differentials between weather systems of   
   several millibars...  That will certainly mess up your nice smooth   
   bouyancy curve.  And my experience with hot air ballooning suggests that   
   temperature will matter a *lot*...   
      
   The very concept of these free flying bouyant "propellant sticks" that are   
   supposed to be gobbled up by an ascending spacecraft is so full of obvious   
   problems as to resemble a large swiss cheese.   
      
   Gene P.   
   Slidell LA   
      
   --   
   Alcore Nilth - The Mad Alchemist of Gevbeck   
   alcore@uurth.com   
      
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