Is it really? (UFO Thread)

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Is it really? (UFO Thread) - 10/22/2010 9:01:32 PM

MasterJohnSteed

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Tonight I stumbled on a website that offered the comparative size of sci fi space ships with real world objects.

Years ago I watched an interview with Gene Roddenberry creator of Star Trek. He said that right after Trek came out that a bunch of Engineers from JPL contacted him and told him that the Enterprise would go "Ass over End ,Like a Tea Kettle in Outer space"

So that got me to thinking, IF the Enterprise was space unworthy from a Engineering standpoint and so obviously all of the other ships of Sci-fi would be as well.

Wouldn't that mean that Flying Saucers, Black Triangles, etc would be too? I mean Aerodynamically Saucer shaped craft were developed and test flown by the Nazi's in WW II but never got "Off the ground:" so to speak because of funding and research issues. So yes we can see they would fly in an atmosphere.

But what about the void of space?

Ranting in the Middle of the night

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RE: Is it really? (UFO Thread) - 10/23/2010 2:11:54 AM

hertz

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I think the engineers may have overlooked the obvious fact that the thrusters which the Enterprise uses for manoeuvring in and out of (for example) a space station docking bay are mounted at various points on the saucer section and the warp drive sections. These would be carefully placed to ensure gentle movement in any direction could be maintained, so no tipping end over end there.

The Impulse Drive engines, used for sub-lightspeed travel are mounted on the rear of the saucer section, and would be designed in such a way as to adjust their thrust vector to allow for any imbalance in the design, and also, importantly, to allow for the saucer section to break away from the warp drive section and fly independently of it. So no tipping end over end there. It is also suggested that the effect of inertial damping might also overcome the tendency of an unbalanced vessel to tip end over end.

Finally, the Warp Drive engines do not rely on thrust at all, but instead the creation of a subspace bubble which distorts the surrounding space-time. No need to worry there either.

I don't think there's any need for concern.

/geek

(in reply to MasterJohnSteed)

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