Sci-Fi Novel Accleration Thingy

[Zafuel]

Hello. I'm new to these forums, which I stumbled upon a few months ago.

Firstly, though I understand a lot more than perhaps I need to, I am only fifteen, and I'm not exactly an expert in physics, etc, so please don't yell at me.

 

Right, anyways, I am writing a science fiction novel. I doubt it will ever be published; I'm not self delusional (is that what I mean?) and I know that the chances are slim to get it published. Still, I want to write it.

 

I was reading Saga of Seven Suns, and I wanted to write whilst staying much truer to real science (Saga isn't bad, but such things as Star Trek, Star Wars and stuff are quite painful)

 

I wanted to see what anybody thought of my method for instellar propulsion which I am using in my novel.

 

At 1G, it is possible to reach 60% of C (the standard speed for my ships) in slightly more than half a year. However, to save spending half a year both ends of the trip, the four major human colonies have something called MADGAs. (That's Magnetic Acceleration and Deceleration GAte) They orbit the stars in the system in which they are based, and use electromagnetic fields to acclerate the vessel at near to 600 000G. I do realise what this would do to everybody inside, but after much searching I stumbled across diamagnetism. This basically allows you to negate gravitational forces with magnetic fields (they levatated a frog). So, the idea is that in addition to acclerating or decelerating the ship, the MADGA produces one of these diamagentic thingies to prevent everyone being splattered on the wall. I know the power requirement for 600 000G forces both ways have got to be incredible, but I guessed that Icarus could probably draw power from the star...

 

Oh, I don't know.

 

Please help my bad science.

[insane_alien]

the diamagnetic idea is actually not too shaby and you could probably get away with it in a novel.

 

first of all, it goesn't negate gravity at all just counters it. but gravity isn't a factor here, just incredible accelerations. while humans are slightly diamagnetic and could in theory levitate a slight problem is encountered when you consider

1. the sheer massivenes of the magnets needed

2. electrons will be ripped from the nuclei of every atom in your body resulting in some rather nasty disintegration with lightning effects thrown in due to the immense currents.

 

but for a novel its perfectly feasible.

 

for slowing down, you could incorporate a blackhole into the equation. have the star system orbiting a black hole and you should be able to dump enough momentum onto the sun(or the black hole depending on respective masses).

 

The good bit about this method is that you are in freefall ALL THE TIME. that means the crew experiences a grand total of 0g although it will take slightly longer than the ultra magnets of doom. maybe a couple of months.