Expert opinions, please? Spacecraft engine concept

Last week, I read a few articles about the new finding that comets aren't actually "muddy ice", but much more silicate that creates hydroxyl and water from solar radiation.

This led me to wonder if it would work to have a solar-powered fuel generator; a big hunk of silicate + magnifying glass (Fresnell lens?) inside some kind of cage; suck off the emissions and compress them to burn?

mmmm...probably not efficient enough to be worth the effort.

Then, this morning, I read about the work to create shielding for long-term space travel. And I thought "maybe this might work after all"...so here's the rough idea I'm thinking:

Shield the long-range spacecraft with lots of silicate, but trap the silicate in something so that emissions can be captured?

Really, that's it. If water is somehow created, might there be enough to provide fresh drinking water? Would this provide enough fuel for propulsion, or would it only provide enough for "attitude jets"? Or would it not even produce that much?

Thanks in advance!

I'm kind of thinking that the most efficient way to make fuel for spacecraft is to quit building the spacecraft that aren't completely necessary

Oh well, I suppose that will never happen, we'll keep paying for their littering the atmosphere till we can't afford to live anymore. What is going to happen when all the metal on earth is in outer space? We'll have to start recycling plants up there.

Originally posted by rickymouse
I'm kind of thinking that the most efficient way to make fuel for spacecraft is to quit building the spacecraft that aren't completely necessary

Oh well, I suppose that will never happen, we'll keep paying for their littering the atmosphere till we can't afford to live anymore. What is going to happen when all the metal on earth is in outer space? We'll have to start recycling plants up there.

edit on 1-7-2013 by rickymouse because: (no reason given)

You don't remember Salvage 1 do you?

You may be interested in solid oxide fuel cells. Various silicates have been proposed as possible electrolytes for use in them.

reply to post by theGleep


Well, I'm no expert but I have the idea that there should be a way to "pull" oneself in a Spaceship thru space. Space is too vast for liquid fuel propulsion, so why not use Space itself for propulsion? We now have Solar Sails which works in reverse of my concept by using sunlight to push a vehicle thru Space. Maybe the answer is a vehicle that can push or pull using Solar Sails depending which mode is enacted by the ship's pilots. That way the vehicle can speed up by pushing away from a star and slow down by pushing away from an approaching star.

Originally posted by lostbook
reply to post by theGleep

 

Well, I'm no expert but I have the idea that there should be a way to "pull" oneself in a Spaceship thru space. Space is too vast for liquid fuel propulsion, so why not use Space itself for propulsion? We now have Solar Sails which works in reverse of my concept by using sunlight to push a vehicle thru Space. Maybe the answer is a vehicle that can push or pull using Solar Sails depending which mode is enacted by the ship's pilots. That way the vehicle can speed up by pushing away from a star and slow down by pushing away from an approaching star.

Lol at least your thinking process has gotten started

Any kind of standard propulsion pushing a craft just isn't going to get us anywhere but our own solar system. Though, I suppose we do have to start somewhere. There are certainly energy sources out there, that could be utilized, but we have to be willing to spend the $$$ to try it, and that's still going to be our biggest challenge, not the tech.