Registered: Aug 2001
Location: Chichester, United Kingdom
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Basically an ION drive is supposed to collect the energy produced within electromagnetic fields, adjust their polarity, and then propel them out through an engine.

Anyway, why wouldn't they work?!? A planet generates just as much EM radiation as normal space does, perhaps more.

Even if the emissions were at different wavelengths, a device could be added to it to slowly adjust to those frequencies when entering the atmosphere.

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Last edited by Tiletron on 11-19-2001 at 07:47 PM

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Due to the logistics of inertia and faster than light travel, the theory of hyperspace seems a better bet for reaching far away worlds. Steven hawking has mathematically done all the work needed to "bend" space. We just need the technology to implement it. It could be closer than you think.

Within the next few hundered years the ability to to incredable damage to a target, on earth or in space, would seem to negate the possibilty of a drawn out space battle. It might come down to simply whoever pushes the button first. Therefore some sort of ultra collapsed armor would seem absolutely neccesary to implement on any space battleship. Energy shields seem a bit impracticle as opposed to a ultra hight density polymer such as depleted uranium. I don't think any warship of the future likely to have windows

The cost of creating a warship with weapons and armor so advanced seems impracticle today, but I'm sure the enginners who build the great clipperships of the 1700's could have concieved of the task of creating a modern destroyer.

I imagine humanity will be fighting itself for a great while to come. It is my hope of couse that these agressive tendancies will have worn themselvs out by the time we encounter an alien species...

It is these thoughts and speculations that make sci-fi so facinating to me. And one of the reasons Babylon 5 is so great. With some exceptions JMS really created himself a solid image of the B5 universe before writing the first episode. This universe is complete with a full history for every major race. I bet (with all due respect) that Gene Roddenbury (where he alive) could tell you what the Klingons were doing 1000 years ago, or even the couse of human history up to the original series, This is unfortunatly why Star Trek is continualy plagued by historical incosistencies. Ah, but I have rampled too long. back to the topic at hand?

(Speaking in my term paper voice. I have been up WAY too long working on homework...)

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I'm not too keen on space-folding technology, since its not an exact science. After you jumped back to normal space, you may end up somewhere other than where you intended, such as another galaxy, or (in theory) possibly another dimension!

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One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find…and not to yield.

Tennyson.
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Registered: Feb 2001
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NASA said it doesnt. I get their newsletter and the info on the ION engine was on one of them and it stated that they dont work in atmosphere, or find it very difficult.

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Those experimental NASA ion engines accelerate incredibly slowly but they can get up to higher speeds with great efficiency (i.e. Little fuel required).

The engines do work in atmosphere but currently don't provide enough thrust to keep any sort of craft in the air.

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Yep that was it, in starwars ION engines work, although things in star wars arent strictly true.

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Which brings me back to what I said before. A modulating unit attached to the engine would probably solved some of the problems with it.

If however ION engines don't completely work in the atmosphere, there could still be room to fit some conventional engines.

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…though we are not now that’s strength which in old days moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are.

One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find…and not to yield.

Tennyson.
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Last edited by Tiletron on 11-19-2001 at 08:02 PM

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I watched a program on discovery about Laser developement. Unfortunatly the military scrapped(cant remember the proper military term) the project.

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Nasa needs more funding. Idoiotic missle defense programs need less...

Did you know that Bush's missle defence plan calls for a budget of 200 Billion dollars over 5 years.

Concurently, a feasable plan to terraform mars costs 210 Billion over 10 years.

>sigh< I wish the guy who won the election was president. He doesn't even like hand guns...

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The equations for space compression-expansion transport (i.e. Warp drive) have already been calculated and require a hell of a lot less energy than Star Trek thought.

Worm hole creation has a few fundamental flaws in its practical applications such as the necessity of flying through a large singularity at the "mouth" of the wormhole. You would require anti-energy (theoretical) to overcome this problem.

Subspace/hyperspace is another possibility that again has real possibilities in real life but is still very much at an experimental stage.

An interesting method of travel would be to quantum tunnel somewhere. They have managed to transport molecules of buckminsterfullerene through this method, let alone electrons and photons. It's only a matter of time before matter transporters become a reality

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But did they REALLY shut the laser project down?

They said they had scrapped that thing about anti-gravitic engines, until that declassified footage was released a few years ago, with a test done at Vandenburg.

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…though we are not now that’s strength which in old days moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are.

One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find…and not to yield.

Tennyson.
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Last edited by Tiletron on 11-19-2001 at 08:08 PM

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Gamma or X-ray lasers would be feasible.

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You'd still need a stable but inexspensive way of containing any radiation type. Keeping Gamma rays under control doesn't come cheap.

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…though we are not now that’s strength which in old days moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are.

One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find…and not to yield.

Tennyson.
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I know microwave "lasers" are called masers, light lasers called lasers, so what are gamma ray and X-ray "lasers" called?

LASER = light amplification (by) stimulated emission (of) radiation

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I'd like to see some Rail Cannons. I was speaking about a mircowave gun the other week but people didnt take me seriously.

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Last edited by Zeronet on 11-19-2001 at 08:14 PM

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In the amature film I'm making the dreadnought "Morningstar" fires it's "laser" weapons by releasing power from one of four reactors through a quarter mile long barrel. All the lights on the command deck dim for a few seconds Not too scientific as I don't know how the reactors work on my ship, but the effect is pretty cool. I made the barrels very scarred and blackened with alot of bumpmapping and a digital photo of burned toast. I'm having alot of fun with this project.

I love being up this early when the board is so active. It's 10:20am my time.

Last edited by Fuzzy Modem on 11-19-2001 at 08:15 PM

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quote:

---

Originally posted by Zeronet
I'd like to see some Rail Cannons. I was speaking about a mircowave gun the other week but people didnt take me seriously.

---

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For gamma rays I don't know, but X-Rays are just called X-Ray Lasers. I think they should come up with a more generalised name, like Radioscopic Lasers or something.

quote originally from Fuzzy Modem:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In the amature film I'm making the dreadnought "Morningstar" fires it's "laser" weapons by releasing power from one of four reactors through a quarter mile long barrel. All the lights on the command deck dim for a few seconds
----------------------------------------------------------------------

That weapon sounds very similar to the Excalibur's Main Gun, with the exception of the recharge ratio.

__________________
…though we are not now that’s strength which in old days moved Earth and Heaven, that which we are, we are.

One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find…and not to yield.

Tennyson.
-------------------------------------------------
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Last edited by Tiletron on 11-19-2001 at 08:20 PM

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i didnt like that gun, not enough gore.

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quote:

---

Originally posted by Zeronet
i didnt like that gun, not enough gore.

---

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