Overview
- Provides the reader with an insight into the science and technology of interstellar spaceflight as it is currently envisaged
- Examines for the first time how it may be possible to exploit the Sun as a gravitational lens for the purposes of interstellar exploration
- Investigates a key problem of interstellar flight – the telecommunications between the spacecraft and the Earth – especially at very high speeds
- Details a range of important mathematical tools relating to the Karhunen-Loève Transform for optimal telecommunications
- Allows astronautical engineers to understand the important applications of the results without becoming too involved in the mathematical proofs
Part of the book series: Springer Praxis Books (PRAXIS)
Part of the book sub series: Astronautical Engineering (ASTROENG)
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Table of contents (14 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Space missions to the Sun’s gravity focus (550 to 1,000 AU)
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Front Matter
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KLT-optimized telecommunications
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
The majority of books dealing with prospects for interstellar flight tackle the problem of the propulsion systems that will be needed to send a craft on an interstellar trajectory. The proposed book looks at two other, equally important aspects of such space missions, and each forms half of this two part book.
Part 1 looks at the ways in which it is possible to exploit the focusing effect of the Sun as a gravitational lens for scientific missions to distances of 550 AU and beyond into interstellar space. The author explains the mechanism of the Sun as a gravitational lens, the scientific investigations which may be carried out along the way to a distance of 550 AU (and at the 550 AU sphere itself), the requirements for exiting the Solar System at the highest speed and a range of project ideas for missions entering interstellar space.
Part 2 of the book deals with the problems of communicating between an interstellar spaceship and the Earth, especially at very high speeds. Here the author assesses a range of mathematical tools relating to the Karhunen-Loève Transform (KLT) for optimal telecommunications, technical topics that may one day enable humans flying around the Galaxy to keep in contact with the Earth. This part of the book opens with a summary of the author’s 2003 Pešek Lecture presented at the IAC in Bremen, which introduces the concept of KLT for engineers and ‘newcomers’ to the subject. It is planned to include a DVD containing the full mathematical derivations of the KLT for those interested in this important mathematical tool whilst the text itself will contain the various results without outlines of the mathematical proofs. Astronautical engineers will thus be able to see the application of the results without getting bogged down in the mathematics.
Authors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Deep Space Flight and Communications
Book Subtitle: Exploiting the Sun as a Gravitational Lens
Authors: Claudio Maccone
Series Title: Springer Praxis Books
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-72943-3
Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-540-72942-6Published: 10 March 2009
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-642-09202-2Published: 20 November 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-3-540-72943-3Published: 09 June 2009
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XXXIV, 402
Additional Information: Jointly published with Praxis Publishing, UK
Topics: Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Aerospace Technology and Astronautics, Classical and Quantum Gravitation, Relativity Theory, Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Exploration and Astronautics)