On 09/05/07, Onno Meyer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Have you considered laser-boosted lightsails? VXi14 is not clear about
the maximum range of such a system - if it is uses normal combat range
rules, the laser is completely useless, so let us assume the range is
something decent.
You could mount a disposable lightsail for the launch and (less) fuel
for braking.
The TL8 max size for a lightsail, 36 sq mi, only takes up 1,170 cf,
234k lbs, and $117M - a drop in the bucket compared to the current
rest of the vehicle design. (1/200,000 of the bucket, by weight.)
Consider it added, though deciding the best way to maneuver with it or
the main engine is probably going to be left up to the in-game mission
controllers.
DataPacRat wrote:
> I've recently purchased GVB, and have been playing around with it. My
> most recent idea was to see if I could put together a design with the
> criteria: TL8, no superscience, carrying at least two people in a
> luxury suite from the Solar System to Alpha Centauri. To make it more
> interesting, I wanted to do so in as little time as possible - which,
> effectively, means maximizing the delta-vee.
I wonder how your total weight/cost scales with the passenger numbers.
That is, would a ship for twice as many passengers be twice the price?
With 50 billion pounds of fission-fragment fuel, and GVB's 'Crew'
section coming in at 134k lbs, I can probably increase the number of
passengers quite a bit before affecting overall performance.
DataPacRat wrote:
> TL8 interstellar ship
> P&P: 6,000,000 sf solar cell [Vehicle], three 2,000-kW fission
> reactors (2 year duration; long term access), 300,000 lbs. thrust
> <fission fragment thruster (Isp 0, delta-V 0 mph; long term access).
What good is the solar cell in deep space?
Not much at all. It's there for after the vessel arrives at its
destination, for long-term power needs in case it takes longer to mine
fissionables than anticipated.
> Occ: three roomy crew stations (bridge access, crashweb, g-seat), two
> luxury extra space cabins (2,000 cf extra total), 20 cabins, three
> 24-man total life support systems
You are not even remotely fast enough to justify g-seats and
crashwebs.
Habit - I stick them on all my seats, unless there's a reason not to.
Plus, here, I get to throw in an in-game comment or two about
seatbelts on the bridge seats. :)
> Armor F RL B T U
> Body 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100 4/100
What about an ablative nosecap?
Good idea.
> Equipment
* What about stabilized LLTVs for astronomy, instead of heavier PESAs?
Already covered under the 'astronomical instruments' package.
* The geo survey array and life detection package work best in contact.
They should go into probes, not the main craft.
Consider them stuck into the cargo hold.
* Why decon airlocks in a spacecraft?
Again, habit.
* The fissionables processor implies asteroid mining. Do you have small
craft for that in your cargo hold?
I assume such craft exist, but since the main ship's design is still
so rough, haven't bothered trying to build them yet.
> TL8 DR 100 advanced metal [Vehicle].
Why mere metal and not laminate?
Lack of interest in optimizing at that point. "Let's see, the fuel is
50,000,000,000 pounds and $250,000,000,000,000... how much difference
does 30,000,000 pounds and $3 billion of armor more or less really
make?"
Thank you for your time,
--
DataPacRat VA3BOS
"You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for
yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain,
and you are responsible for using them." -- Qur'an 17:36.
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