Is his plan to subsidize it with government contracts and tax incentives like everything else he's "invented"?
Is his plan to subsidize it with government contracts and tax incentives like everything else he's "invented"?
It's an elegant solution, but I doubt you can get a complete transfer of fuel this way. As pressure lowers in the tank being emptied, pressure will build in the tank being filled. At some point the fuel will stop transfering, unless it is given greater impulse. But greater impulse will burn more fuel. So I would assume you reach a point of diminishing returns that diminishes to zero. Of course I'm assuming that the liquid hydrogen is going to at least some extent turn to gas during this transfer, due to the friction and other factors.
I'm thinking a pumping station launched into space that is run by solar panels might be a better solution in the long run.
It's an elegant solution, but I doubt you can get a complete transfer of fuel this way. As pressure lowers in the tank being emptied, pressure will build in the tank being filled. At some point the fuel will stop transfering, unless it is given greater impulse. But greater impulse will burn more fuel. So I would assume you reach a point of diminishing returns that diminishes to zero. Of course I'm assuming that the liquid hydrogen is going to at least some extent turn to gas during this transfer, due to the friction and other factors.
I'm thinking a pumping station launched into space that is run by solar panels might be a better solution in the long run.
Agreed. In orbit refueling is going to be a big thing. Makes sense to do it via solar using a dedicated infrastructure.
Agreed. In orbit refueling is going to be a big thing. Makes sense to do it via solar using a dedicated infrastructure.
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