Early Spaceflight Designs

[vraymond]

In a fit of true obscurity, I found myself recently working on Charles Gannon's "One Small Step" and "Two Small Steps" design sequences for early spaceflight, using the MegaTraveller design sequence. The articles appeared in Challenge 44 and 45 (IIRC). But the examples are pretty vague, and I spotted at least one error, so I've gotten frustrated trying to figure out what he originally intended.

So if there is anybody out there who is a MT fan, and can walk me through the design sequence for early spaceflight, using that system, that would be really appreciated. Failing that, if there is somebody who can explain in really simply terms why FF&S might be better, that would also be fine. What I am trying to do is to find a system that will allow me to simulate the development of spaceflight from TL 7 through TL9, particularly in Earth terms for the next 50-100 years.

Comments? Thoughts? Any and all feedback would be appreciated.

 

[vraymond]

In a fit of true obscurity, I found myself recently working on Charles Gannon's "One Small Step" and "Two Small Steps" design sequences for early spaceflight, using the MegaTraveller design sequence. The articles appeared in Challenge 44 and 45 (IIRC). But the examples are pretty vague, and I spotted at least one error, so I've gotten frustrated trying to figure out what he originally intended.

So if there is anybody out there who is a MT fan, and can walk me through the design sequence for early spaceflight, using that system, that would be really appreciated. Failing that, if there is somebody who can explain in really simply terms why FF&S might be better, that would also be fine. What I am trying to do is to find a system that will allow me to simulate the development of spaceflight from TL 7 through TL9, particularly in Earth terms for the next 50-100 years.

Comments? Thoughts? Any and all feedback would be appreciated.

 

[vraymond]

In a fit of true obscurity, I found myself recently working on Charles Gannon's "One Small Step" and "Two Small Steps" design sequences for early spaceflight, using the MegaTraveller design sequence. The articles appeared in Challenge 44 and 45 (IIRC). But the examples are pretty vague, and I spotted at least one error, so I've gotten frustrated trying to figure out what he originally intended.

So if there is anybody out there who is a MT fan, and can walk me through the design sequence for early spaceflight, using that system, that would be really appreciated. Failing that, if there is somebody who can explain in really simply terms why FF&S might be better, that would also be fine. What I am trying to do is to find a system that will allow me to simulate the development of spaceflight from TL 7 through TL9, particularly in Earth terms for the next 50-100 years.

Comments? Thoughts? Any and all feedback would be appreciated.

 

[aramis]

Find Hard TImes. The articles got errata applied when included there.

 

[aramis]

Find Hard TImes. The articles got errata applied when included there.

 

[aramis]

Find Hard TImes. The articles got errata applied when included there.

 

[vraymond]

Thank you; I'll go check that out.

 

[vraymond]

Thank you; I'll go check that out.

 

[vraymond]

Thank you; I'll go check that out.

 

[fredofmars]

Another source of information (for TNE) is in Challenge 72 in an article called "Sublight Drives" that starts on page 40.

 

[fredofmars]

Another source of information (for TNE) is in Challenge 72 in an article called "Sublight Drives" that starts on page 40.

 

[fredofmars]

Another source of information (for TNE) is in Challenge 72 in an article called "Sublight Drives" that starts on page 40.

 

[vraymond]

Originally posted by Aramis:
Find Hard TImes. The articles got errata applied when included there.

Got Hard Times. Interesting.

What I am thinking about is using this for coming up with an alternate background, not unlike Michel Vaillancourt's TL11 Near-Earth campaign.

The spaceplane and slow freighter look interesting, as do the designs in the Archaic Ships and Small Craft PDF available more recently. What's pretty clear from this is that a future history putting scientific discoveries in sync with geopolitical developments is necessary.

What's also clear is that at our current rate, we're not going to have major manned exploration of this solar system before 2100 AD, much less interstellar travel. Which means any scientific breakthroughs to "jump drive" or the like will have to deal with a rather undeveloped manned spaceflight capability in even the more space development oriented nations, such as the US, Russia, and China.

Hmmmm.

 

[vraymond]

Originally posted by Aramis:
Find Hard TImes. The articles got errata applied when included there.

Got Hard Times. Interesting.

What I am thinking about is using this for coming up with an alternate background, not unlike Michel Vaillancourt's TL11 Near-Earth campaign.

The spaceplane and slow freighter look interesting, as do the designs in the Archaic Ships and Small Craft PDF available more recently. What's pretty clear from this is that a future history putting scientific discoveries in sync with geopolitical developments is necessary.

What's also clear is that at our current rate, we're not going to have major manned exploration of this solar system before 2100 AD, much less interstellar travel. Which means any scientific breakthroughs to "jump drive" or the like will have to deal with a rather undeveloped manned spaceflight capability in even the more space development oriented nations, such as the US, Russia, and China.

Hmmmm.

 

[vraymond]

Originally posted by Aramis:
Find Hard TImes. The articles got errata applied when included there.

Got Hard Times. Interesting.

What I am thinking about is using this for coming up with an alternate background, not unlike Michel Vaillancourt's TL11 Near-Earth campaign.

The spaceplane and slow freighter look interesting, as do the designs in the Archaic Ships and Small Craft PDF available more recently. What's pretty clear from this is that a future history putting scientific discoveries in sync with geopolitical developments is necessary.

What's also clear is that at our current rate, we're not going to have major manned exploration of this solar system before 2100 AD, much less interstellar travel. Which means any scientific breakthroughs to "jump drive" or the like will have to deal with a rather undeveloped manned spaceflight capability in even the more space development oriented nations, such as the US, Russia, and China.

Hmmmm.

 

[vraymond]

Originally posted by Joseph Kimball:
Another source of information (for TNE) is in Challenge 72 in an article called "Sublight Drives" that starts on page 40.

I will have to get that when I can dig that out of my magazine collection (unless somebody has that article PDF'd already).

 

[vraymond]

Originally posted by Joseph Kimball:
Another source of information (for TNE) is in Challenge 72 in an article called "Sublight Drives" that starts on page 40.

I will have to get that when I can dig that out of my magazine collection (unless somebody has that article PDF'd already).

 

[vraymond]

Originally posted by Joseph Kimball:
Another source of information (for TNE) is in Challenge 72 in an article called "Sublight Drives" that starts on page 40.

I will have to get that when I can dig that out of my magazine collection (unless somebody has that article PDF'd already).

 

[aramis]

A lot depends upon who, how, and why the FTLD comes in to being, and just how much space exposure time it takes.

If an FTL drive takes just a few hours of N-Space exposure, then the limited manned space flight capability is rather minimal in impact.

If, on the other hand, you can't jump til 20AU, we're unlikely to use it until someone else comes in.

Likewise, a gravitics are a key. If, for example, you can generate a 20-G "volume accelleration", (IE, everything in the affected volume is accellerated 20G in the same direction), people will tolerate 20+ G's no problem; essentially it will be free-fall.

If, on the other hand, gravitics provide a point-source thrust (IE, simply push the drive unit) there is little advantage over conventional thrust, and people will be limited highly in what they can tolerate, since they will be accelerated by the floor, not the drive. MT drives seem to be this type.

So, if gravitics provides the first type, and high G's, then Missions elsewhere might be extremely doable.

 

[aramis]

A lot depends upon who, how, and why the FTLD comes in to being, and just how much space exposure time it takes.

If an FTL drive takes just a few hours of N-Space exposure, then the limited manned space flight capability is rather minimal in impact.

If, on the other hand, you can't jump til 20AU, we're unlikely to use it until someone else comes in.

Likewise, a gravitics are a key. If, for example, you can generate a 20-G "volume accelleration", (IE, everything in the affected volume is accellerated 20G in the same direction), people will tolerate 20+ G's no problem; essentially it will be free-fall.

If, on the other hand, gravitics provide a point-source thrust (IE, simply push the drive unit) there is little advantage over conventional thrust, and people will be limited highly in what they can tolerate, since they will be accelerated by the floor, not the drive. MT drives seem to be this type.

So, if gravitics provides the first type, and high G's, then Missions elsewhere might be extremely doable.