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Re: NASA's Tethered Generator

Subject:      Re: NASA's Tethered Generator
       Date:  Fri, 16 May 1997 18:00:19 +1200
       From:  "Malcolm Watts" <MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz>
Organization: Wellington Polytechnic, NZ
         To:  tesla-at-pupman-dot-com


Hi John,
            A comment or two on this one....

>   From:  "John H. Couture" <couturejh-at-worldnet.att-dot-net>
>     To:  Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> 
> 
> At 05:35 AM 5/13/97 +0000, you wrote:
> >Subject: Re: NASA's Tethered Generator
> >  Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 13:35:48 -0500
> >  From: David Huffman <huffman-at-FNAL.GOV>
> >    To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> >
> >
> >Ok if B=0.2Gauss, L=20.7km and v=12,000 m/s
> >emf = BLv = 4997 volts.
> >One end is 'grounded' in the ionosphere the other flows current with
> >electron accelerators.
> >The loop is the Earth and the universe.
> >D.L.Huffman
> >
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> 
>   Dave -
>   
>   Using your figures I get 49,680 volts. Applying this equation is not
> that
> simple. The actual calculations are complex. The NASA tether actually
> did
> generate about 2500 volts at .5 amps or 1250 watts in one of several
> experiments. There were also failures but we should not dwell on these
> problems. 
> 
>   Note that in space nothing is grounded where grounding means at earth
> potential. Also the tether circuit loop is not earth and the universe.
> The
> tether circuit loop consists of a long very special wire which is the
> voltage generator plus devices at each end to utilize the ionosphere as
> a
> return conductor for the currents.
> 
>   The universe of space is not involved with the tether circuit because
> the
> currents created cannot travel in the vacuum of space beyond the
> ionosphere.

What if you eject charged particles? The sun is doing it constantly. 
That would equate a current at the point of ejection IMO.

> This is one of the big differences between Tesla coils (currents) and
> arc
> transmitters radiation (Hertzian waves). Hertzian waves can travel thru
> both
> the ionosphere and the vacuum of space. It is important for coilers to
> understand the differences between Tesla coils and radio transmitters
> and
> these two very different methods of transmitting electrical energy.
> 
>   Tesla coils can also be used in the vacuum of space because they can
> produce Coulomb forces. These forces can be used to maneuver vehicles in
> space but this is another story. There are plenty of TC possibilities
> for
> Tesla List members to work on for the future besides big sparks.

Ejecting heavy ions has been mooted as a possibility for years hasn't 
it?

Malcolm