wanttaja@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ronald J Wanttaja) (12/16/84)
> Now the problem with antimatter is that you can't store it in a reactive > container i.e. a container made of matter; even Teflon coated polyethylene > is out. Fortunately, it is possible to create electromagnetic (and even > gravitational-field) "bottles" which can effectively isolate the antimatter > from contact with any matter. All you need is the FIELD GENERATOR, and a > POWER SUPPLY. > > So now the warp drive is damaged beyond repair, the Klingons are coming, and > you'd like to abandon ship. You'll initiate a sequence of commands that > will effectively destroy your ship--let's say you set off "controlled" > explosions on the bridge, computer center, engineering, etc. These ex- > plosions will disrupt power supplies. But what happens to the antimatter > field-isolation bottles, and the antimatter stored in them?? > B O O M !! > > Once you destroy your ship, you destroy the only thing that keeps your > matter and antimatter apart. PLEASE don't argue that the field bottle > would survive the self-destuct; electromagnetic bottles are difficult > at best to maintain, and are notorious for their power consumption! And > remember--the field-generating equipment has to be OUTSIDE this force > field, or else! True enough, as it goes. However, it ignores the realities of military procurement. *No military procurement organization will obtain hardware that requires the continuous application of power for the continued survival of the occupants* A submarine does not require power to maintain hull integrity. A B-52, should all eight engines be lost, will glide (not well, but the crew has SOME time to get power back).. If the NIMITZ loses all power with the control rods out, you can bet there will be some manual or pyro device to SAFE THE REACTOR! There is no reason to believe things will change in Star Fleet's equivalent of Systems Command. The antimatter bottles will be armored; with fail-safe internal backup power supplies. Can you imagine going into battle when one hit on the nacelles will vaporize the ship? The bottles will probably cons consist of a set of batteries (continually charged by the ships main power bus), the field generating equipment, and the bottle itself containing the anitmatter, all enclosed by either armor (like that used by frontier stations "Balance of Terror") or it's own private shields. Yes, we probably can't figure out how they'd work. But it's easy enough to see why they MUST and why they WILL develop the safety bottles for the antimatter! (Gawd, I'm starting to talk like this stuff is real...:-) Ron Wanttaja (ssc-vax!wanttaja) "They little knew of brotherhood the faith of fighting men, Who once to prove their lie was good, hanged Colonel Jaques Cretien"
raiche@dartvax.UUCP (George A. Raiche) (12/19/84)
> > Once you destroy your ship, you destroy the only thing that keeps your > > matter and antimatter apart. PLEASE don't argue that the field bottle > > would survive the self-destuct; electromagnetic bottles are difficult > > at best to maintain, and are notorious for their power consumption! And > > remember--the field-generating equipment has to be OUTSIDE this force > > field, or else! > > True enough, as it goes. However, it ignores the realities of military > procurement. > > *No military procurement organization will obtain hardware that requires > the continuous application of power for the continued survival of the > occupants* > > A submarine does not require power to maintain hull integrity. A B-52, > should all eight engines be lost, will glide (not well, but the crew > has SOME time to get power back).. > > If the NIMITZ loses all power with the control rods out, you can bet there > will be some manual or pyro device to SAFE THE REACTOR! > > There is no reason to believe things will change in Star Fleet's equivalent > of Systems Command. The antimatter bottles will be armored; with fail-safe > internal backup power supplies. Can you imagine going into battle when > one hit on the nacelles will vaporize the ship? The bottles will probably consist of a set of batteries (continually charged by the ships main power > bus), the field generating equipment, and the bottle itself containing the > anitmatter, all enclosed by either armor (like that used by frontier stations > "Balance of Terror") or it's own private shields. > > > Ron Wanttaja > (ssc-vax!wanttaja) > *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR ANTI-MESSAGE *** Submarines and B-52's don't travel at 512c. The Nimitz's reactors won't detonate instantly if the control rods come all the way out. The concept of extremely-high-speed travel implicitly assumes a dependence on FLAWLESS technology because there are some ship's systems that must operate continuously, or else. Examples: Gravity control. Enterprise doesn't maintain artificial gravity just to keep everyone in their seats. Gravity control is necessary to compensate for the extreme effects of accelerating the ship (and all the occupants) from zero to warp 8 in, say, 30 seconds; or to compensate for inertia while performing any manuevers at warp speeds. If the artificial gravity blinks off while Enterprise is executing a turn, the entire crew will be smeared against the bulkheads. Navigational deflectors. Enterprise MUST have a system for clearing meteorites, beer cans, and other cosmic debris from its path--an impact with even the smallest piece of dirt, at hyperlight speeds, would cause extensive damage. Since Enterprise travels so fast (i.e. sweeps out a collision tube of large volume) the probability of hitting SOMETHING is good. This deflector system must operate continuously whenever the ship is at warp speed. Remember the damage a meteorite collision caused aboard Apollo 13? We assume that both collision partners were sublight... Now of course you can have backups for these systems, but in the end the reliability of any ship system is no greater than that of the main power. A submarine hull doesn't need applied power to maintain integrity, and a fission reactor (but not a fusion reactor!) will operate (all too well) if for some reason you can't supply external power. But MATTER and ANTIMATTER will react VIOLENTLY if they come into even MOMENTARY contact; so if you're carrying antimatter in your ship, you MUST maintain that bottle CONTINUOUSLY. You can shield the bottle all you want but if it fails anyway, you turn into a glowing cloud. The bottle must operate continually, so must have continuous power, regardless of Pentagon policy. Another thing about the self-destruct: power and drive systems are among the most sensitive areas of any warship. A submarine propulsion officer won't even admit that a sub has an engine room unless you have proper security clearance. Antimatter and warp drive technology is critical to the Earthmen and Klingons and you can be sure that a self-destruct order won't leave pieces big enough so that the Klingons can figure out, say, how Enterprise kept its matter-antimatter reactor stable during an intense battle... Surely the bottle technology is top- secret too. And I'd hate to see what would happen to the Space Shuttle if the engines failed three seconds after ignition. George Raiche Dept. of Chemistry Dartmouth "If I jumped every time a light started blinking around here, I'd end up talkin' to myself."
kevin@voder.UUCP (The Last Bugfighter) (12/21/84)
> Remember the damage a meteorite > collision caused aboard Apollo 13? We assume that both collision > partners were sublight... The damage to Apollo 13's Service Module was NOT caused by a meteorite, the explosion was from an oxygen tank. It was either an internal fan or an internal heater in the tank which shorted out when it was switched on. The wiring insulation burned up and BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM! It was later discovered that the tank had been dropped once during manufacturing and this was suspected of pinching the wires, damaging the insulation and allowing them to touch. -- Kevin Thompson {ucbvax,ihnp4!nsc}!voder!kevin "It's sort of a threat, you see. I've never been very good at them myself but I'm told they can be very effective."
zubbie@wlcrjs.UUCP (Jeanette Zobjeck) (01/10/85)
The assumption made in almost all future fiction ST being no exception is that the technology of the day is beyond the common failure by loss of power. Although the possibility exists I think Scotty would laugh himself into a coma were someone on board to suggest that a blown fuse could destroy his engines. =============================================================================== From the mostly vacant environment of Jeanette L. Zobjeck (ihnp4!wlcrjs!zubbie) All opinions expressed may not even be my own. ===============================================================================