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Relativistic rocket
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A relativistic rocket is any spacecraft that is travelling at a velocity close enough to light speed for relativistic effects to become significant. What "significant" means is a matter of context, but generally speaking a velocity of at least 50% of the speed of light (0.5c) is required. The time dilation factor, mass factor, and length contraction factor (all these factors equal the Lorentz factor) are 1.15 at 0.5c. Above this speed Einsteinian physics are required to describe motion. Below this speed, motion is approximately described by Newtonian physics and the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation can be used. We define a rocket as carrying all of its reaction mass, energy, and engines with it. Bussard ramjets, RAIRs,[1] light sails, and maser or laser-electric vehicles are not rockets. Achieving relativistic velocities is difficult, requiring advanced forms of spacecraft propulsion that have not yet been adequately developed. Nuclear pulse propulsion could theoretically achieve 0.1c using current known technologies, but would still require many engineering advances to achieve this. The relativistic gamma factor (1) at 10% of light velocity is 1.005. The time dilation factor of 1.005 which occurs at 10% of light velocity is too small to be of major significance. A 0.10c velocity interstellar rocket is thus considered to be a non-relativistic rocket because its motion is quite accurately described by Newtonian physics alone. Relativistic rockets are usually seen discussed in the context of interstellar travel, since most would require a great deal of space to accelerate up to those velocities. They are also found in some thought experiments such as the twin paradox.
Contents
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1 Relativistic rocket equation 1 1.1 Specific impulse 1 1.2 Delta-v 2 Matter-antimatter annihilation rockets 1 2.1 Design notes on a pion rocket 3 Sources 4 References 5 External links
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Specific impulse
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The specific impulse of relativistic rockets is the same as the effective exhaust velocity, despite the fact that the nonlinear relationship of velocity and momentum as well as the conversion of matter to energy have to be taken into account; the two effects cancel each other. Of course this is only valid if the rocket does not have an external energy source (e. g. a laser beam from a space station; in this case the momentum carried by the laser beam also has to be taken into account). If all the energy to accelerate the fuel comes from an external source (and there is no additional momentum transfer), then the relationship between effective exhaust velocity and specific impulse is as follows:
where 1 is the Lorentz factor. In the case of no external energy source, the relationship between Isp and the fraction of the fuel mass 3 which is converted into energy might also be of interest; assuming no losses, it is
Here are some examples of fuels, the energy conversion fractions, and the specific impulses (assuming no losses if not specified otherwise): Fuel electron-positron annihilation proton-antiproton annihilation, using only charged pions electron-positron annihilation with simple hemispherical absorption of gamma rays electron-positron annihilation with hemispherical Compton scattering nuclear fusion: H to He nuclear fission: 235U 1 0.56 1 1 0.001
Isp / c
1 0.60 0.25 >0.25 0.04
0.00712 0.119
Delta-v
In order to make the calculations simpler, we assume that the acceleration is constant (in the rocket's reference frame) during the acceleration phase; however, the result is nonetheless valid if the acceleration varies, as long as Isp is constant. In the nonrelativistic case, one knows from the (classical) Tsiolkovsky rocket equation that
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Assuming constant acceleration a, the time span t during which the acceleration takes place is
In the relativistic case, the equation still valid if a is the acceleration in the rocket's reference frame and t is the rocket's proper time because at velocity 0 the relationship between force and acceleration is the same as in the classical case. By applying the Lorentz transformation on the acceleration, one can calculate the end velocity 2v relative to the rest frame (i. e. the frame of the rocket before the acceleration phase) as a function of the rocket frame acceleration and the rest frame time t'; the result is
The time in the rest frame relates to the proper time by the following equation:
Substituting the proper time from the Tsiolkovsky equation and substituting the resulting rest frame time in the expression for 2v, one gets the desired formula:
The formula for the corresponding rapidity (the area hyperbolic tangent of the velocity divided by the speed of light) is simpler:
Since rapidities, contrary to velocities, are additive, they are useful for computing the total 2v of a multistage rocket.
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The pion rocket might need a superconducting nozzle with electromagnets of 10 teslas or more. Antihydrogen and regular hydrogen are diamagnetic which allows them to be electromagnetically levitated.
Sources
1. The star flight handbook, Matloff & Mallove, 1989 2. Mirror matter: pioneering antimatter physics, Dr. Robert L Forward, 1986
References
1. ^ http://scientium.com/diagon_alley/commentary/bowden_essays/sotm/starship/rockets.htm#rair 2. ^ a b c http://www.aiaa.org/Participate/Uploads/2003-4676.pdf
External links
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Physics FAQs: The Relativistic Rocket Javascript that calculates the Relativistic Rocket Equation Spacetime Physics: Introduction to Special Relativity (1992). W. H. Freeman, ISBN 0-7167-23271
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