Material Science Question....

[Quint]

In the (now ancient) article by Christopher Thrash on material science and limitations on starship size (here), there's a set of tables for the Material Density in 1ton/m3, 3tons/m3, and 8tons/m3 - and I have no idea what the heck he's talking about.

Could somebody please explain this to me as if I have a doctorate in a very soft science?

Grognard I may be, but this is the part I like least about many editions of Traveller...

Thanks in advance!

D.

 

[Badenov]

In the (now ancient) article by Christopher Thrash on material science and limitations on starship size (here), there's a set of tables for the Material Density in 1ton/m3, 3tons/m3, and 8tons/m3 - and I have no idea what the heck he's talking about.

Could somebody please explain this to me as if I have a doctorate in a very soft science?

Grognard I may be, but this is the part I like least about many editions of Traveller...

Thanks in advance!

D.

So, the short version is that as we understand things at TL7, there are limits to how much thrust you can put on a hull before the simple act of maneuvering or accelerating twists a ship apart under its own inertia. It makes a ton of assumptions about how future tech materials will perform. They are reasonable assumptions and extrapolations based on game stats, but they assume we don't learn anything about material science in the next 3500 years. They specifically don't include things like artificial gravity and reactionless thrusters, so feel free to take the whole article with a grain of sodium chloride.

 

[kilemall]

I believe I’ve met Thrash in RL. He would have an interest in armor.

Skipping over the ductility vs. hardened bits. Advanced hulls would probably have some future chobham mix coupled with what is best for structure.

The distinction between the densities would be for unarmored, light armored and heavily armored ships.

 

[Condottiere]

I would suppose, that if the inertial compensation field extends to beyond the interior of the spacecraft, to the exterior shell, there is no stress on the hull due to acceleration.

 

[Condottiere]

And, you could take a stroll on the hull, if it extends further.

 

[coliver988]

I would suppose, that if the inertial compensation field extends to beyond the interior of the spacecraft, to the exterior shell, there is no stress on the hull due to acceleration.

basically, Star Trek's Structural Integrity Fields (why the Enterprise does not crush itself accelerating)


https://www.stf-wiki.com/index.php?title=Structural_Integrity_Field

 

[Grav_Moped]

basically, Star Trek's Structural Integrity Fields (why the Enterprise does not crush itself accelerating)


https://www.stf-wiki.com/index.php?title=Structural_Integrity_Field

And it's reinforced by plot armor, too.