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Post by Amberlight on Nov 24, 2014 20:26:44 GMT
In the comic a spy satellite is mentioned. A lifetime of a satellite on a low orbit is about 20 years - even if the machinery won't fail it will run out of fuel to correct it's orbit and it's orbital velocity will degrade due to the friction with an atmosphere (there are enough air molecules 400-500 km above the surface to gradually slow down a satellite, eventually).
That means that Minerva has some way of positioning their satellites on orbit.
My guess would be that they have enough resources to make light rockets every now and then - one in a three-five years, maybe. So they use their advanced engineering to make satellites as compact and lightweight as possible, so their weak rockets can still get the payload to the designated orbit.
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Post by dwergar on Nov 24, 2014 20:42:50 GMT
Well.
UAV on solar batteries that:
1) Flies daily, lands nightly. Easier and simplier variant, dont fit well in, but still.
2) Flies constantly on estimated route on big enough height across globe, so, sun is always over it.
3) Flies over estimated region, using accumulated energy during nights.
All variants might include dublicated and triplicated circuits and protocols that will land UAV at estimated points if it needs repair, planned or not.
And no need in rockets.
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Post by Amberlight on Nov 24, 2014 21:31:38 GMT
Actually I spoke to Dan about neverlanding UAVs not so long ago. But it was said that Minerva has satellites. So we need to adress that.
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Post by dwergar on Nov 24, 2014 21:40:59 GMT
Rockets - not likely, in my opinion. They do need heavy infrastructure - expensive solution.
However, if Baikonur was not heavily damaged... Then this might work. They could even use some rockets that was designated to launch pre-War, but not assembled in time.
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Post by Admin on Nov 25, 2014 0:15:03 GMT
Actually, I like the solar powered UAV option. They probably are starting to roll out using those. Previously they did some satellites.
Minerva does have pretty heavy infrastructure to manage launching a satellite every couple years at least.
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rat
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Post by rat on Nov 25, 2014 9:41:54 GMT
How "Minerva" contains a similar infrastructure, even if she got them for nothing?
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Post by theleakingpen on Nov 26, 2014 21:48:01 GMT
Rockets aren't really THAT expensive. theres a group attempting to make space capable rockets out of rocket candy, basically sugar and pottasium nitrate. sugarshot.org/pressarea_overview.html |
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Dazim
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Post by Dazim on Nov 27, 2014 3:18:41 GMT
You dont need rockets to get to low orbit all you need is a large enough explosion and a half dome to shape it.
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rat
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Post by rat on Nov 27, 2014 5:12:27 GMT
theres a group attempting to make space capable rockets out of rocket candy, basically sugar and pottasium nitrate. What a load can put this rocket into orbit? 8 km / s higher than the speed of the shock wave for most types of explosives, and even higher detonation velocity. Orbital velocity vector must have parallel to the Earth's surface. If the body receives a velocity vector on the surface of the earth, it will fly at this speed in the atmosphere. If the body gets a vector at an angle to the surface, it flew a ballistic trajectory and return to Earth. |
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Post by Amberlight on Nov 27, 2014 16:58:41 GMT
I assume it was a joke about the explosive.
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rat
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Post by rat on Nov 27, 2014 17:06:28 GMT
I read an article about von Neumann machines, where a similar conclusion in the space considered seriously. And the speed was there once at least 2 space.
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Post by dwergar on Nov 27, 2014 18:36:07 GMT
Why not explosives?
They are cheap and easily reconfigurable in comparison to the tanks of fluid rocket fuel.
Sure, more dangerous, but with all the problems they got... I'll say that it is a variant.
P.S. Is Minerva full of greenpeace teenagers?
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rat
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Post by rat on Nov 27, 2014 19:34:07 GMT
Amberlight, perhaps here talking about solid rocket fuel, calling it "explosive"?
dvergar, solid propellant have lower specific impulse. And it is much more expensive liquid propellant. Today, no one will sell enthusiasts liquid fuel rocket engine high power, but sell synthetic fiber and components for the manufacture of solid rocket fuel.
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Post by Amberlight on Nov 27, 2014 20:12:45 GMT
Может быть он имеет в виду импульсный взрывной двигатель? Вроде проекта "Орион", только на химической взрывчатке? Do you mean impulse explosive thrust system like Project Orion? |
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Post by dwergar on Nov 27, 2014 20:32:39 GMT
I'm mentioning use of explosives in general.
Also, why not huclear powered multi-use shuttle?
Earth would not get any dirtier than it is...
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