Superconductor magnet spacecraft heat shield being developed. Does this look familiar to you?

(PhysOrg.com) -- European space agencies and an aerospace giant are developing a new re-entry heat shield that will use superconductor magnets to generate a magnetic field strong enough to deflect the superhot plasma formed during re-entry of returning spacecraft. They plan to test the new technology by attaching a test module to a missile and using a Russian submarine to fire it into space.

Source -Physorg.com






[edit on 27-11-2009 by nonnez]

I did not see this posted on site yet. Interesting piece of equipment and should revolutionize re-entry technology. What I find very strange about it though is the test vehicle shape... It looks a lot like several other UFO's that have been reported and much like the one described that crashed in the eastern USA quite a few years back. I can't remember the name of the area.



I am still trying to figure out how to embed the picture....for now you will have to use the link above.




[edit on 27-11-2009 by nonnez]

reply to post by nonnez


Interesting news, I believe the UFO incident you are talking about is the Kecksburg UFO Crash of 1965. You are correct though, the shape is similar, but I don't know if there is any connection there, there could be though.

Here is a reconstruction of the Kecksburg object:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/71ea813169b9.jpg[/atsimg]

Here is the design for the new re-entry vehicle:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/ec82a3d1a14d.gif[/atsimg]

reply to post by jkrog08


Yes that is the one! I am not saying that this is what was involved in that case, but again very similar. Thanks for embedding the pic.

What is the code for doing that? I tried the usual HTML and that did not work.

reply to post by nonnez

Form often follows function. Things attached to the top of a rocket usually have a similar shape.


[edit on 11/27/2009 by Phage]

Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by nonnez

 

Things attached to the top of a rocket usually have a similar shape.

Yes I agree. This really does make me think that the "kecksburg" report was probably just something like this....... the top of a rocket of some sort. Some had thought it was part of a Soviet craft......makes sense to me.

reply to post by Phage


I agree, just like this image of a old US nuclear warhead casing resembles the Kecksburg object:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/09f5e6132418.jpg[/atsimg]
Image of Mk-6 RV courtesy of www.geocities.com...

I don't know what the object was but I do agree that the capsule shape is common for rockets.

reply to post by nonnez


Good idea but wrong solution.
A better solution is used in the Aurora.
That's how it can travel Mach 6 without the glass windows
getting hot.
Artificial gravity wave energy sphere.

to gather this type of data that will lead to this "shield", there would already have had to be viable experiments with this device. curious that they DO NOT report any of the research that has already been done. why do i say this? it's one thing to try this in a small demo case in some lab, but this is on a much larger scale, with many more varibles.

i would guess that they have a working model...in what form?...i don't know, but this is far from some physics engineer thinking outside the box.

reply to post by jimmyx

A magnetic field will deflect ionized particles. Physics.
A superconductor magnet can develop a very strong magnetic field. Physics.

Approval for testing is expected "sometime in the next decade". The test is expected three years after approval. It seems there is ample time for R&D before the test, and there is a lot to be done before theory could be turned into a prototype.

The scientists are currently assessing the superconducting coil's performance, and have not yet finalized the technical details of exactly how they will fit it into a Russian "Volan" escape capsule for the test. Also uncertain at this stage are the modifications that will be needed to the trajectory to compensate for the deflected air

[edit on 11/27/2009 by Phage]

reply to post by nonnez


I think it's only that shape because they are planning to use an existing Russian capsule so they can get a proof of concept - saves them a lot of bother and expense designing one from scratch - and could you imagine them just sticking one of these things in one of NASA's shuttles and saying to the astronauts - were sure this will work, let us know how it goes on re-entry

Any ways how are they planning to have a superconductor in there? - It's my understanding that a material still has to be seriously cold to be a superconductor right? Like liquid nitrogen cold... Has that changed? Prob not cos room temp superconductor would be huge news - So that's got to be quite difficult to keep cold on an extended trip with astronauts etc - if that cryo status fails somehow then the crew will be doomed, or at least trapped in orbit.

Interesting stuff s+f

reply to post by Now_Then

Well now you're getting into the practical aspects.

It's a very, very difficult task. Liquid nitrogen isn't cold enough, liquid helium is required. Liquid nitrogen is actually used to keep the helium cold.

It's also going to have to be a pretty large magnet to produce a strong enough field (I would think). Large=heavy, another problem.

Then there's the power supply...

I think ceramics might be a better idea.


[edit on 11/27/2009 by Phage]

reply to post by Phage


Well thinking about it a little more I suppose you can keep the liquid helium under pressure until it's required - that would save on the power - but it's still hard to see where the weight pay off is...

Originally posted by nonnez

Originally posted by Phage
reply to post by nonnez

 

Things attached to the top of a rocket usually have a similar shape.

Yes I agree. This really does make me think that the "kecksburg" report was probably just something like this....... the top of a rocket of some sort. Some had thought it was part of a Soviet craft......makes sense to me.

Obviously. The "acorn with alien symbols" was more than likely a American hick's interpretation of a Soviet manned re-entry vehicle with Russian cyrillic on the side. It was advanced for it's time, capable of turning itself upon re-entry... probably explains why the US government was on it like flies on crap.

So what could these be used for:





Breaking through the ether in a Kecksburg craft.
Tuned to 1/4 wave length if those experimenters ever get around to it.
And ever put it into a suitable craft.

reply to post by Now_Then


I think Phage was alluding to this, but there are some weird ceramics that superconduct at relatively high temperatures. According to wikipedia, the best achieved so far is 135 Kelvin (-138 Celsius). Liquid nitrogen alone is enough to keep it that cold, though I don't know what other practical considerations there might be.

reply to post by DragonsDemesne

What I really meant is that this seems like a lot of trouble to go through when we know ceramic heat shields do a perfectly good job. I don't really see the point of overcomplicating things.