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Re: NASA's Tethered Generator

Subject:  Re: NASA's Tethered Generator
  Date:   Tue, 6 May 1997 22:33:45 -0400
  From:   Dave <djb-at-erie-dot-net>
    To:   Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>


At 04:55 PM 5/6/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Subject:     Re: NASA's Tethered Generator
>      Date:  Mon, 05 May 1997 18:23:05 -0500
>      From:  rickh-at-ghg-dot-net (Rick Holland)
>        To: 
>           Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>References: 
>           1
>
>
>Tesla List wrote:
>
>> 
>>   Robert, Mark -
>> 
>>   You could both be wrong. Tesla invented the so called "Tesla Coil" to
>> create ultra high voltages with maximum power. We should be trying to
>> optimize this apparatus (to help NASA with its tether generator). Sparks
>> of
>> any kind are losses and prevent the production of the high voltages at
>> maximum power.
>
>All right! I saw that. I'll have you know that we NASA weenies are a bit
>miffed about the whole tethered satellite thing (not to mention the
>Itialians). OK, so the thing generated in the thousands of volts and
>made AMPs instead of milliamps, but how were we to know? Who else has
>done anything like this? SO, we were moving a conductor through a
>changing magnetic field. Who could guess that the magnetic field would
>have areas of such intensity? I mean it's *just* a planetary magnetic
>field; and just in case you forgot, we *do* have rocket scientists
>working for us.
>
>Of course, all of the above is said tongue-in-cheek :>). There are some
>rather sheepish-looking rocket scientists wandering around here
>muttering to themselves. I, being a lowly technician, was not consulted
>prior to the launch of this experiment, but I have had some ideas on
>power generation using a conductor and changing magnetic fields, and I
>could have told them that I thought they should use a really heavy
>conductor (just on instinct, not knowledge base).
>
>I'm afraid I've gotten 'way off the topic, so I guess I'd better shut up
>now. Just couldn't pass up the chance to poke a little fun.
>
>
>     Rick Holland
>
>     The Answer is 42.

Hi,

Forgive me if this is off topic or if I missed an earlier discussion of
this, but how did NASA plan to draw power from the tethered cable? I
understand it was just a conductor fixed at one end to the satellite,
and
moving relative to the earths magnetic field. This seems like an open
circuit to me, and I am wondering how current would flow since it is an
incomplete path. Am I missing the big picture here? Thanks for your
help.

Dave

PS. I am new to this list and my posts have been taking a day, sometimes
longer to show up. Am I doing something wrong here?