# Rocket approaching vrel (non-instantaneous)

1. Oct 4, 2012

### Jeronimus

Alice is on a space-platform with her rocket.
She placed a line of clocks from the back of the rocket to the front. All clocks are synced before Alice starts accelerating.
She also placed several rulers next to each other in a line towards the nose.
Next to the rulers Alice attaches some springs which are of the same size as the rulers, parallel to each of the rulers. The springs have a test mass at the rocket's nose side, while they are fixed on the side which is pointing towards the back.

Bob will see Alice's rocket approach a given vrel, let's say 0.5c within a given amount of time (non-instantaneous).

1) Which way would be the "best" way to get this rocket to vrel = 0.5c, as in causing the least tension on the rocket hull/inner objects? (This is a theoretical question, so assume you can magically create any kind of force field to put the rocket into)

2) How would Alice (omniscient) experience all this, assuming she is at rest at the back side of the rocket. How would she read all the measuring devices she placed along to the front line of the rocket until the rocket reaches v=0,5c relative to Bob?

Last edited: Oct 5, 2012