This is a weekly posting with GURPS vehicles (and the like) to the GURPSnet mailing list. I grant the permission for all non-commercial redistribution of my work, but I would like to know if you put it on a website or the like. The files at omeyer.gmxhome.de are down until I fix the automatic PDF generation, which should be one of these days - see sourceforge.net/projects/gurpsml Onno Meyer, 2011-05-09
Cargo Drop Pod v1.0 (TL8) Copyright 2011 by Onno Meyer For planetary exploration in a near-future game, a soft landing at the destination can be as much of a problem as the interplanetary flight (or even an interstellar flight, if the setting has FTL travel). The Drop Pod combines four methods of braking. A retro rocket is used to reduce the velocity by 300 m/s, which brings the Cargo Drop Pod into the upper reaches of the atmosphere. The aeroshell is used for steering and braking, until the speed is low enough to deploy the parachute. The aeroshell is discarded prior to landing, and the parachute is released just before impact, when airbags take over -- this keeps the cargo bay clear of obstructions. On an earthlike world, with a dense atmosphere, the Cargo Drop Pod can maneuver with fair accuracy. It combines GPS, inertial navigation, and a laser tracker. On Mars, the thin atmosphere makes precision difficult, and the search for all dropped equipment may be an expedition by itself. The heat shield is 2,200 lbs. and $8,800 (included in the stats listed below) and the retro rocket is 1,800 lbs. (included in payload) and $9,000 (not included). Subassemblies: Body +4. Powertrain: 3,000-kWs advanced battery. Cargo: 500 cf. Armor F RL B T U Body: 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20 4/20 Exo Armor: 4/80 4/80 4/80 4/80 4/80 Equipment: Body: Long-range radio; two x1 LLTVs; transponder; inertial navigation system; global positioning system; laser spot tracker; C2 compact, hardened, small computer; 4,000-lb. external impact absorber; 16,000-lb. vehicular parachute. External: 1,800-lb. hardpoint. Statistics Size: 25'x10'x10' Payload: 5.9 tons Lwt.: 10 tons Volume: 750 cf Maint.: 32 hours Price: $395,370 HT: 12. HPs: 750 Body With heat shield and rocket, in orbit: sAccel: 1 to 1.08 Gs sMR: 1 Delta-V: 680 mph (0.189 mps) With heat shield, without rocket, Earth conditions: aSpeed: 465 aAccel: 0 aDecel: 0.5 aMR: 0.125 aSR: 3 Stall Speed 170. Glide Ratio 7.5:1. With heat shield, without rocket, Mars conditions: aSpeed: 815 aAccel: 0 aDecel: 0.5 aMR: 0.125 aSR: 3 Stall Speed 990. Glide Ratio 0.7:1. Without heat shield and rocket, Earth conditions: aSpeed: 440 aAccel: 0 aDecel: 0.5 aMR: 0.125 aSR: 3 Stall Speed 160. Glide Ratio 7.6:1. Without heat shield and rocket, Mars conditions: aSpeed: 765 aAccel: 0 aDecel: 0.5 aMR: 0.125 aSR: 3 Stall Speed 925. Glide Ratio 0.7:1. Design Notes Body is 714 cf, with very good streamlining and lifting body. Structure is medium, expensive. Armor is advanced, open-frame composite covered by expensive, fire-proof, ablative, exo husk. Sealed. 18.8 cf empty space. Empty weight is 8,200 lbs. The vehicle uses the design rules from Vehicles [second edition, third printing, December '09 errata], Mars (for the stall speed increase), VXi and VXii (including the armor volume rule) with the text format from Vehicles Lite. Thanks to Travis for the idea and to Coyt for much of the technobabble. Next Week: A little space marauder. _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
