Questions tagged [spaceships]
For questions involving implemented theory or technology for travelling through space. Consider also [space-travel]. See also the tag information (click "info") for more details on when this tag applies.
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How would a multipurpose railgun work
In my game, spaceships need to have weapons with more than one purpose, due to the cost of hauling extra weight across interplanetary/interstellar space. My railgun needs to be able to fire plasma ...
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is wood a viable material to build space craft?
So, Im writing a sci-fi universe, and a species in said universe is a low-population fox-like humanoid race who live on a forest-covered world. With a society that's like a summer camp and a tech ...
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Designing a portable space elevator
So, I have been trying to come up with ideas for space launch without rockets for this sci-if project, but then something occurred to me: rather than have craft jumping off and onto a planet’s surface,...
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How long would it take for an AI to build spaceships if it starts from 0? [closed]
I am writing a story were an AI, 1000 years in the future, wants to build spaceships to go into deep space.
It has all the information available for humans until the year 2100, when the global ...
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What is the best design for trans-atmospheric cargo ship?
Backdrop
This is set in a world after an empire-state that controlled the entire solar system fell. They have incredibly efficient catalyzed direct fusion drives, which powers the heavy mining and ...
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What is the difference between space-planes and rockets? [closed]
The Background
Well... for the first time, sort of, I have a question that doesn't tie directly into anything else. To define what I'm referring to, because I don't actually know the correct ...
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Orbital mechanics- 2 objects, different mass same trajectory
I have a multi-ring space station built around an asteroid, but not physically connected. Station has significantly more mass than the asteroid.
As the two approach a star and swing around it, will ...
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What is the minimum specifications for a ship to survive propulsive reentry?
Backdrop
In the ending of my book, the closing scene is the control room of the mangled and torn-up starship diving into the atmosphere (maybe not so dramatic) on its fusion engines, slowing down and ...
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How to harvest/produce industrial amounts of metallic hydrogen
For those not versed in theoretical states of matter, Metallic Hydrogen is a semi-fluid phase of hydrogen that acts like a metal, able to conduct electrons. It's also theorized to be potent rocket ...
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Maximum speed of 100% reflective light sails
So, it’s the 23rd century, and due to the cost of fuel these days, people are exploring new methods of interplanetary travel that does not require reaction mass. Light sails spring to mind.
Modern ...
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What would be the most effective shape for interlocking starfighters? [closed]
This is a question relating to my Safespace sci-fi setting, in which the Unified Intergalactic League attempts to keep peace between the litany of sapiods (a classification for intelligent creatures ...
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What would a laser-powered interstellar cargo ship look like?
Blurb
What would a ship with a 100 thousand tonne budged that needs to carry cryo-frozen cargo through 20 lightyears of interstellar space at 0.35C coasting velocity, using laser sails at both ends of ...
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Best material to make a solar sail
So, in this project o’ mine, a newly-formed world state is trying to whip humanity into shape and is making some major changes to society in order to protect the environment. First thing’s first, no ...
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What would destroying an antimatter ship look like?
The Backstory
The ship in question is a massive matter-antimatter annihilation powered starship, built by an imperialist and tyrannical government with basically unlimited budget.
The Ship
The ...
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How to make a good landing pad for a start-up colony
Due to the expansion of humanity into the stars, landing pads have popped up on every planet with even a remote resemblance of a permanent human presence, whether they start with a dozen or a thousand ...
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