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Date: Sat, 27 Apr 1996 16:54:08 -0500
To: kgstar@most.fw.hac.com (Kelly Starks x7066 MS 10-39) From: "L.
Parker" <lparker@gnt.net>
Subject: Re: problems with beaming

At 07:35 AM 4/25/96 -0500, you wrote:


>But the sail wouldn't be stable unless the presure was fairly even across
its surface; and given beam divergence, even if the laser or maser just
filled the sail near sol, it would be tens to hundreds of tems larger by tau
C.

No, no, no...you've got it all backwards. The centering mechanism is
required in any event just to make certain that the pressure DOES stay
even across the sail. The steering system is already built-in! 

And that was the whole point of building a larger aperature laser in the
first place, because it would NOT spread out larger than the sail by TC. (I
have already posted the relevant formulas.) There is absolutely no need to
waste power on a beam that is larger than the sail unless we find we
simply cannot keep beam jitter down within acceptable limits. 


Lee
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+ Weave a circle 'round him thrice, and close your eyes with holy dread... +
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