Type S as a Tailsitter Prolate Spheroid

[Spinward Flow]

Obviously, it would seem that starships while processing unprocessed fuel to processed fuel, from unprocessed water, would use siphon off the byproduct oxygen, into a separate tank under pressure.

This is one of my postulates in the regenerative biome life support laboratory house rules that I came up with. Wilderness refueling (oceans, gas giants, etc.) will involve a variety of chemical elements that are "unwanted" in refined liquid hydrogen fuel tankage for use when jumping (and supplying the fusion power plant) ... however, that "waste chemistry byproducts" stream will contain a wide variety of chemical elements that are suitable/necessary for life support functions (with or without the regenerative biome option).

"Waste" oxygen generated by the refining of hydrogen fuel is merely one of the most obvious byproducts of such a fuel purification cycle. There will be plenty of other "waste chemistry" feedstocks generated by fuel purification to generate "refined" liquid hydrogen that is "jump rated" for safety and reliability. Those chemical byproduct feedstocks can either be vented overboard during the fuel purification processing ... or they can be salvaged/harvested/stored for later use (including "proper disposal" at starports as part of the "berthing fees" system of logistical support).

All of this would be "invisible, game mechanically" to how Traveller works as a set of rules for space and interstellar transit ... but it's fun to think of these things in "waste not, want not" terms once you realized that not all locations an interplanetary/interstellar craft might be going to will have "hospitable" environments. One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure and all that. What is plentiful in one location may be especially scarce in another (and therefore valuable, elsewhere).

 

[Condottiere]

I think you'd have to incorporate a, what are we going to term this, ecosystem that actually can process and utilize the byproducts.

I'm not to crazy about the current iteration of the biodome, because optimal return on investment, which means it provides the constant base load of life support for the spacecraft, is really far off in the future, not accounting for damage and destruction, which would require a rebuild.

On the other hand, an empty cargo hold, which costs nothing except hull overhead, that you could funnel these items, and have one crew member with a green thumb, and/or degree in horticulture, to leverage these precious byproducts.

 

[Spinward Flow]

means it provides the constant base load of life support for the spacecraft, is really far off in the future

According to Travellerwiki (LINK), regenerative biome life support is a TL=9 advancement.

By TL–9 Bioregenerative Life Support has been developed.

That's because that branch of the "tech tree" isn't just needed for starship crews, but also for settlements of populations in hostile environments (basically, anything that requires more than a filter mask).

On the other hand, an empty cargo hold, which costs nothing except hull overhead, that you could funnel these items, and have one crew member with a green thumb, and/or degree in horticulture, to leverage these precious byproducts.

Basically the difference between doing it "professionally" with a tested/proven "laboratory" setup ... and doing it as a hobbyist with a homebrew lashup using spare parts that were just lying around (ala "moonshine" distilling). With enough skill, you can make the latter approach work, on an individualized scale ... but if you want to get into the business of mass produced environmental engineering (that is tested and reliable), you're really going to want to go with the "professional laboratory" option ("I reckon").

Yet another example of just because something CAN be done, doesn't necessarily mean it's particularly WISE to do things a particular way.

 

[Condottiere]

But moonshining the oxygen regeneration in a cargo hold has minimal cost, and if it doesn't work out, you can open the cargo hatch, and dump it in space.

 

[aramis]

Given how the body reacts to high CO2 levels, they'll be panicking and in great distress long before they go unconscious, too.

Historic situations tend to show them getting drowsy and stupid first.
Plus, there's often some other issues (declining oxygen) that reduce the panic factor. Recovered bodies from burried igloos seldom show signs of panic. Silent death in the sleeping furs. That may relate to the CO produced by the whale oil or seal oil lamps.
(For those who do not know, igloo are in fact emergency shelters and hunting shelters, not residences. Stack slabs of hard-pack snow into a dome, and see to it the low point inside is the edge.)

 

[Grav_Moped]

I'm walking a couple of my characters through this thing. I'll admit the writing is nothing special, but I did end up finding someting I might want to change at some point:

Writer’s note: Oops. Looks like I invented a kitchenette in the pilot’s lounge… there’s only supposed to be the bed, a closet and a washroom there! Well, there’s always the Snax-o-Matix upstairs [Ed: on the flight deck] if needed. Might re-think this space a little, because it really does need serious food prep capability if the upstairs crew isn’t just going to live off Sci-Fi Space MREs when carrying non-vetted passengers. Ah well, that was kind of the point of this exercise.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Also, I'm having trouble deciding where the TL-15 version's extra 2Td of cargo space (which is fuel in the standard LBB2 one) comes from on the cargo deck. There's 1Td of "this is fuel" there, and the base of the fuel scoops (artistic license).

I think I'll just make the "this is fuel" blocks go away, have the turret be remotely operated from the bridge, assume an auto-loader (it is TL-15, after all) and just extend the cargo bay all the way across. Ship's locker goes into the "this is fuel" block over by the Air/raft and airlock.

No, it doesn't entirely add up.