venomousbird - 16/8/2007 2:32 AMInteresting how in space, too much energy is a problem as often as too little. How do they keep a conventional spacecraft from overheating?
kevin-rf - 28/9/2007 8:18 PMInteresting article on the AvWeek site about the NASA is fishing for some missions that will use a RTG with a stirling engine converter :http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/nukey092807.xml&headline=NASA%20To%20Accelerate%20Space%20Nuclear%20Power&channel=space
CuddlyRocket - 30/9/2007 4:37 AMThere might be scope in future to use the difference in temperature between lit and shaded areas of the Moon to power a stirling engine for use on a lunar base (particularly at the South Pole, where such areas may be both permanent and relatively close together), although solar cells will no doubt be simpler in the first instance.
venomousbird - 16/8/2007 12:19 AMStirling engines as many probably know, operate by a difference of temperature, which causes a working gas to expand and contract within a fixed space, causing a piston to move back and forth with varying pressures. I'm wondering why power modules for space bother to use a radioactive payload to power a free piston stirling, when such a huge difference exists between temperatures of materials exposed to solar radiation, and those that are shielded. Also, as a side note, the moon has huge temperature variations and a slightly more stable environment than space itself. . . seems like free power would be a simple thing to achieve in an lunar environment.
Bill White - 30/9/2007 12:31 PMOn the Moon, ...........P
Bill White - 30/9/2007 10:31 AMI am not anti-nuclear. BUT nuclear reactors are rather heavy (high IMLEO requirements) and have the same heat dissipation issues and do need to be re-fueled.
Jim - 30/9/2007 6:47 PMQuoteBill White - 30/9/2007 12:31 PMOn the Moon, ...........PWhy bother going for all the energy conversions, just use solar cells. And what do you for the other 14 days of the month. Solar power is not a long term (> 20 days) option for the lunar surface