FYKOS Year 36 Series 4 Problem 5 — space visit · FYKOS 36 #36.4.5
Physics · mechanics
Problem
Two aliens each live on their own space station. The stations are in free space and the distance between them is L. When one alien wants to visit the other, he has to board his non-relativistic rocket and fly to his neighbor. What is the shortest time an alien can spend on its way there and back? The mass of the rocket with fuel is m, without fuel m0. The exhaust velocity is u. The fuel flow is arbitrary, and his neighbor won't let him load any fuel (he has little himself).