Fussion Rocket Drive in T5

[Frewfrux]

I have yet to delve fully into Starship design in T5, but I did take a quick look at drives, specifically TL9 drives. They all seem.....this isn't the right word for it, but I can't think of what it would be....clean.

Does anyone have any ideas how to represent a Fussion Rocket Drive in T5? I'll work it out eventually, I'm sure, but I figured I'd start by asking (in case anyone's already done this).

 

[Licheking]

There aren't any as standard, but if you have used a Fission plant for power, i see no reason why you couldn't use the G-Drive and describe it as a fission rocket.

 

[Frewfrux]

There aren't any as standard, but if you have used a Fission plant for power, i see no reason why you couldn't use the G-Drive and describe it as a fission rocket.

Fusion, not fission. The only reason to use a Fusion drive in TNE was TL availability. HEPlaR wasn't available until TL10, but Fusion drives were available at TL9. There is no reason at all to use a Fusion drive in T5 (which is likely why it's not mentioned) except flavour. Well, that and they provided power to the ship in addition to providing thrust, but that wasn't a big advantage.

Yes, I guess you are right. If I have a fusion plant I should be able to modify it to also provide thrust, right?

 

[Licheking]

yeah that would be my thinking. Most of the Maker's leave the actual description of engines, power plants and the like to the designer so you can just say your G-Drive is a fusion rocket (HePlAr) just as easily as saying its a generic G-Drive.

 

[robject]

Some alternate drive systems were cut from the master text, including Rocket Drives, HEPlaR, and the Orion Drive. But, I don't remember anything like a Fusion Torch drive (unless HEPlaR is it: "A power plant heats liquid hydrogen fuel to a plasma state contained in a magnetic or gravitic field until nuclear fusion (mediated by nuclear dampers) begins. Released plasma produces a tremendous thrust.").

 

[Frewfrux]

Some alternate drive systems were cut from the master text, including Rocket Drives, HEPlaR, and the Orion Drive. But, I don't remember anything like a Fusion Torch drive (unless HEPlaR is it: "A power plant heats liquid hydrogen fuel to a plasma state contained in a magnetic or gravitic field until nuclear fusion (mediated by nuclear dampers) begins. Released plasma produces a tremendous thrust.").

HEPlaR (TL10) and Fusion Rockets (TL9) were separate entities in TNE's FF&S. Fusion Rockets left a trail behind them that was radioactive, so they were not allowed in atmospheres. (I'm not sure why HEPlaR's wake wasn't radioactive.) This is the main drive behind the construction of a space ladder on every planet in the core worlds of my pocket empire. Most privately owned ships are TL9 (with TL10+ production reserved for the very wealthy, military, and various governmental roles).

This minor "flavour" that came with the Fusion Rocket drive had such a large impact on the development of my Traveller setting that I really don't want to give it up. I think the solution is just to say that T5 Maneuver drives are one TL greater in requirement, and TL9 is called a Fusion Rocket with the Fusion Rocket limitations. I guess I'll have to add a power plant to these ships now (didn't need one in TNE as the drive was the plant).

Perhaps when I get into the ship generation rules (not there yet) I will have an even better idea.

 

[whulorigan]

HEPlaR (TL10) and Fusion Rockets (TL9) were separate entities in TNE's FF&S. Fusion Rockets left a trail behind them that was radioactive, so they were not allowed in atmospheres. (I'm not sure why HEPlaR's wake wasn't radioactive.)

HEPlaR was actually a Plasma Rocket (a very high-effieciency version of a Nuclear Thermal Rocket if I remember). The plasma was super-heated in a separate heat-exchanger and expelled as a high-veocity plasma. No nuclear reactions were taking place in the reaction-mass plasma. The fusion power-plant was merely the heat source for the plasma in the heat exchanger assembly.