Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site topaz.RUTGERS.EDU Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!columbia!topaz!piersol.pasa From: piersol.pasa@Xerox.ARPA Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: Gravity drives Message-ID: <3261@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Tue, 13-Aug-85 12:13:03 EDT Article-I.D.: topaz.3261 Posted: Tue Aug 13 12:13:03 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 15-Aug-85 00:34:55 EDT Sender: daemon@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 15 From: piersol.pasa@Xerox.ARPA This reminds me of Arthur C. Clarke's 'Asymptotic Drive' from "Imperial Earth", which used a very small black hole as the basis of the drive system. As particles approach the event horizon, they emit high energy photons, exciting the gas around them. Since only a relatively few atoms were needed to excite a much larger volume of gas, the drive attained extremely high efficiency. The only problem was that the black hole needed to be replaced once it had attained sufficient mass to begin slowing the ship's accelleration. Clarke never went into how the microscopic black holes were created, or more interestingly, disposed of in a safe manner. Kurt