I build an ion-powered spacecraft. It has an Ion engine on the back, which accelerates Xenon ions electromagnetically and shunts them out the back, eventually allowing my little craft to pick up to a significant fraction of light speed after a few hundred years.
I also have a particle accelerator on my ship. It is pointing forwards. I wait until we are nearer to light speed, say 80%. I then accelerate an antiproton or a Higgs Boson or similar makeyuppyon to 30% of light speed, which I believe is possible in a linear accelerator, and fire it forwards. Why won't it be doing 110% of light speed?
I am sure my little plan is full of complex holes but am keen to know what they are (financial considerations not included).
2006-10-22
03:24:48
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13 answers
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asked by
MindlessVandal
1
in
Physics