Apple patents something to do with hydrogen fuel cells

[TimberWolf]

But Apple can patent hydrogen fuel cells?

Not sure what they've patented. 'Just' joining the dots I expect...

(see NickFitz's sig)

[Cliphead]

Not sure what they've patented. 'Just' joining the dots I expect...

(see NickFitz's sig)

No tech involved I suspect just lawyers.

[TimberWolf]

You've got better more economical way to delivery high payloads to orbit?

A monster cannon (not good for humans, or much else currently), rail guns, space elevator, air breathing rockets, very small light rockets, etc. All hard to do.

[AtW]

A monster cannon (not good for humans, or much else currently), rail guns, space elevator, air breathing rockets, very small light rockets, etc. All hard to do.

How are those methods economical if nobody ever proven them to work consistently enough for a big insurance company to insure the launch?

At the moment rockets are the most economical ways of launching stuff into space.

[NickFitz]

But Apple can patent hydrogen fuel cells?

No, no more than one could patent nuts, bolts, or internal combustion engines. But one can patent something ingenious that relies on such components, and a lazy tech "journalist" will see an easy way to generate pageviews and thereby earn his monthly bonus by writing it up in such a way that it sounds as if you're trying to patent them

[TimberWolf]

How are those methods economical if nobody ever proven them to work consistently enough for a big insurance company to insure the launch?

At the moment rockets are the most economical ways of launching stuff into space.

Yes, but rockets are nevertheless exquisitely energy inefficient. Something like 0.1% of the rocket fuels ends up as mechanical energy of a satellite in orbit (which is what keeps it up), or something like that IIRC.

Mind you, maximising energy inefficiency turns out to be the most efficient means of zipping about the galaxy at speed, as you have to trade losing mass or energy to accelerate things, because those terms appear in the momentum and energy equations of a rocket or anything that is accelerated. And it turns out that the most efficient propulsion is one that shoots out pure energy, wasting most of it in the 'exhaust', because you'd otherwise quickly run out of mass unless you could scoop some up on the way.

[AtW]

Yes, but rockets are nevertheless exquisitely energy inefficient.

Efficiency is a relative term.

Do you have more efficient way of getting stuff to orbit without using rockets?

Pigeons also very energy inefficient - they had to eat a lot to fly every day, yet they are tuliping on your car from the above.

[TimberWolf]

Efficiency is a relative term.

Do you have more efficient way of getting stuff to orbit without using rockets?

Pigeons also very energy inefficient - they had to eat a lot to fly every day, yet they are tuliping on your car from the above.

People are working on it, e.g.

Reaction Engines Limited :: Press Release 19 Feb 2009
Project Babylon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Railgun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Space elevator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lightcraft: A Laser Push to Orbit

Chemical rockets (what we are talking about) are out of the question for serious space travel.

[AtW]

People are working on it, e.g.

Reaction Engines Limited :: Press Release 19 Feb 2009
Project Babylon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Railgun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Space elevator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lightcraft: A Laser Push to Orbit

Chemical rockets (what we are talking about) are out of the question for serious space travel.

As I said none of those are in production - there is NO other more economical way to launch stuff (commercial weights) into orbit but rockets.

Newer rockets made by SpaceX and others should cut down costs nicely as well.

[bless 'em all]

As I said none of those are in production - there is NO other more economical way to launch stuff (commercial weights) into orbit but rockets.

Newer rockets made by SpaceX and others should cut down costs nicely as well.

WAtW said. Don't confuse might for IS.

Mwah!