The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: NASA has proposed the concept of a spacecraft with a harpoon Bashny.Net

- I'm a little hint to you that whaling is a thing. So what? Still feel to it propensity?
- Yes, sir.
- Very good. Now answer, but quickly: can you zashvyrnut harpoon into the mouth of a live whale, followed by the harpoon to jump to itself?
- Yes, sir, if it's absolutely necessary, that is, if without this in any way will not be able to do ... which I highly doubt.
- OK well. But you decided to go to the whalers is not only to find out that a piece of the whaling business, you want to also look at the world - because after all, it seems, you put it?
- Herman Melville "Moby Dick» blockquote> Engineers from the лаборатории NASA's Jet Propulsion предложили method , whereby research ship can move in space using the kinetic energy of asteroids and comets. Like last Harpoon, he will thrust the spear into the heavenly body, and slowly pull yourself to it, increasing your speed.

As shown by the experience of using lander «Fila», landing on small celestial bodies - not an easy task, because their gravitational pull is extremely low . It should be used instead of any other force of gravity, which allows to approach the comet or asteroid.

Lead researcher of this work, Masahiro Ono, said he was inspired by the book "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", working on this concept. In this regard, the agency called the project "the comet Hitch» (Comet Hitchhiker).

"Avtostopnut celestial body alone raised up his thumb will not work - it moves from an astronomical rate, and will not stop for you. Instead of thumb, we decided to use a harpoon and a leash "- says It.

Instead of using chemical fuel for maneuver, which stocks would have to carry on themselves, Hitch could zaarkanivat suitable comet and release the cable - just as a fisherman caught a big fish, releasing the line with little tension. This allows the fish - that is, the comet gradually transfer their kinetic energy research probe. Thus he will be able to catch up gradually and sit on a celestial body.



If you make this reusable system, such a ship could theoretically investigate several celestial bodies whose orbits will conveniently overlap. For example, the reaching of the Kuiper belt, the machine will be able to explore the many living there asteroids. And riding on the relevant comet will strive even beyond the solar system.

Scientists have calculated a similar situation on the computer and brought what they called the "equation of cosmic hitchhikers" - a combination of parameters such as the ratio of the mass of a celestial body and probe, the difference in their speed and strength of the cable needed to carry out the maneuver.

According to the calculations of scientists turns out that for "catching" the comet, whose speed exceeds the speed of the spacecraft at 1, 5 km / s, it is possible to make a cable from existing materials (Kevlar, or zaylona - rival Kevlar, his superior tensile force of 1, 6 times). And for the difference in speed of 10 km / s is appropriate cables not - it will have to make rope out of something like the carbon nanotubes, and a harpoon - a material similar to diamond.

This unit must be reserved by cable length from 100 to 1000 km, so it can be long enough to let go, gradually gaining the necessary speed. In addition to efforts to stretch the cable will need to have sufficient elasticity for damping jerks and strength in order not to be torn by stray pieces mikroasteroidov.

While the researchers are preparing to test the top of such systems at landfills.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/261300/