[2300AD] stutterwarp discharge thresholds

[Lemnoc]

What is considered the low end of “stressed space,” a gravity well sufficient to discharge a stutterwarp drive? .1 G?

Would a Kuiper belt object the size/density of Pluto or Sedna work?

How about gravity gradients off the main sequence? Would dumping "gravitic radiation" in proximity to a neutron star confer any special advantage or disadvantage—for example, the time it takes to discharge the drive?

 

[GJD]

You can work out the .1g threshold in Km by taking the square root of the planets mass and dividing by 0.1. There's an interesting discussion on it here:

http://www.oocities.org/timessquare/arcade/2303/best/swnavspd.htm

and some handy calculation tools here:

http://www.bumply.com/astro.html

There's also discussion on in-system travel times here:

http://www.geocities.ws/pentapod2300/jay/stuthres.htm

G.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Neutron stars, or black holes for that matter, would not grant any special bonuses for discharge. After all, they are simply stellar object with a gravity field. At a distance, they will interact with ships (and stutterwarps) no differently than any other stellar object (like a star).

Remember, there is nothing special about a Black Hole when you are 10 AU away from it. It is just a sun-massed object. It is only when you get VERY VERY close to it that weird things happen.

Only the super-massive black holes in the center of galaxies really pose any kind of major threat, and again that is mostly because of their mass. The same mass in a group of stars would cause the same gravitational problems, it's just that you can get a LOT closer to a black hole than you can a star.

Also, within the 2300AD sphere of exploration (about 50 ly), there are no black holes or neutron stars.

 

[Lemnoc]

Also, within the 2300AD sphere of exploration (about 50 ly), there are no black holes or neutron stars.

Actually, canonically (Bayern), there is one. At Augereau. Seems to be of the quantum, evaporative variety.