How long to scan a planet?
- Thread starter MonkeyX
- Start date
ottarrus
Emperor Mongoose
Good question!
In earlier editions [MegaTraveller and GURPS: Traveller especially] there was a lot of discussion about surveys, what they did, what they didn't do, their processes and how long it took to do them. In Mongoose Traveller 2nd ed. that is done in both the Deepnight Revelation boxed set. I don't have the set available to me right this minute unfortunately.
The basic issues are: the size and complexity of the world itself [a Size 3 rock ball is gonna be faster than a Size 10 would with a significant biosphere], the sophistication of your ship's sensor suite and whatever additional sensor packages your ship is carrying. Lastly, the skill of your sensor operator and surveyor also contributes a great deal. For example, a Type S [with just 'plain' military sensor package] will take longer to do a proper survey than a purpose-built survey vessel with advanced sensors, a geological sensor package, a life sensor package, and a neural activity sensor, AND has a skill sensor operator and a skilled surveyor both working on it.
In earlier editions [MegaTraveller and GURPS: Traveller especially] there was a lot of discussion about surveys, what they did, what they didn't do, their processes and how long it took to do them. In Mongoose Traveller 2nd ed. that is done in both the Deepnight Revelation boxed set. I don't have the set available to me right this minute unfortunately.
The basic issues are: the size and complexity of the world itself [a Size 3 rock ball is gonna be faster than a Size 10 would with a significant biosphere], the sophistication of your ship's sensor suite and whatever additional sensor packages your ship is carrying. Lastly, the skill of your sensor operator and surveyor also contributes a great deal. For example, a Type S [with just 'plain' military sensor package] will take longer to do a proper survey than a purpose-built survey vessel with advanced sensors, a geological sensor package, a life sensor package, and a neural activity sensor, AND has a skill sensor operator and a skilled surveyor both working on it.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Probably several lifetimes.
Pragmatically, if it's uninhabited by humans, if anything below can harm or kill you, which might just need a lab and half a dozen probes.
Pragmatically, if it's uninhabited by humans, if anything below can harm or kill you, which might just need a lab and half a dozen probes.
Condottiere
Emperor Mongoose
Magnetic anomaly.
You probably can power down the fusion reactors, but large lumps of metal would be harder.
Ninety minute satellite passes, assuming cone coverage of the sensors, maybe half a day on Terran diameter?
You probably can power down the fusion reactors, but large lumps of metal would be harder.
Ninety minute satellite passes, assuming cone coverage of the sensors, maybe half a day on Terran diameter?
What level of detail are you looking for? A basic map of the planet (major mountain ranges, continents, large islands, etc) would only take a few hours with a ship with active drives. That would be a basic radar/visual mapping of the surface.
Detailed examination would probably take days, if not a week. That should get you a more detailed level of data to layer on the first - more details on biospheres, bodies of water, basic ground composition with info like density, type of rock, etc. You may be able to spot other smaller locations like geothermal springs, etc.
Keep in mind that it's all a slice in time. A planet that has seasons would not be revealing that data until the seasons occur - while some predictions are possible, you'd still need more live data to make an accurate model.
You'd figure a survey vessel would dispatch drones or smaller craft to build up the maps faster, whereas a single ship would be limited to the area of scan of it's sensors and have to constantly change position to map the planet (probably polar orbits that change by a few degrees with each pass).
Detailed examination would probably take days, if not a week. That should get you a more detailed level of data to layer on the first - more details on biospheres, bodies of water, basic ground composition with info like density, type of rock, etc. You may be able to spot other smaller locations like geothermal springs, etc.
Keep in mind that it's all a slice in time. A planet that has seasons would not be revealing that data until the seasons occur - while some predictions are possible, you'd still need more live data to make an accurate model.
You'd figure a survey vessel would dispatch drones or smaller craft to build up the maps faster, whereas a single ship would be limited to the area of scan of it's sensors and have to constantly change position to map the planet (probably polar orbits that change by a few degrees with each pass).
Geir
Emperor Mongoose
All I did for the World Builder's Handbook was update the Survey classes from the old version, which where more concerned with the whole system. Ten weeks for the first three digits of all the major worlds, but that assumes some travel time and remote viewing from multiple angles.
How long to scan a planet for X (whatever X is) problem makes the lists of things to look at for a JTAS article. Now I have to find where I put that sticky note with the list...
How long to scan a planet for X (whatever X is) problem makes the lists of things to look at for a JTAS article. Now I have to find where I put that sticky note with the list...
Since it's relevant to the specific circumstance that the OP is asking about: is the base/cluster of ships actively trying to hide from the search, set up to be hard to detect but otherwise going about routine business, or operating openly but not actively signalling their presence?
They presumably aren't deliberately trying to get noticed since that would be trivial with starships or equivalent tech, negating any need to search.
They presumably aren't deliberately trying to get noticed since that would be trivial with starships or equivalent tech, negating any need to search.
Shadowblayde99
Banded Mongoose
Player: I'd like to survey the planet.
GM: what are you looking for?
Player: anything interesting.
GM: you scan the planet for several hours but find nothing.
That didn't take long at all
GM: what are you looking for?
Player: anything interesting.
GM: you scan the planet for several hours but find nothing.
That didn't take long at all
To Tha Moon!
Cosmic Mongoose
For a Main World resurvey - from Imperial Fringe adventure (Classic Traveller)
"In most circumstances, a report can be written after about three days to a week of data gathering."
But that's doing a full workup of the UWP.
"In most circumstances, a report can be written after about three days to a week of data gathering."
But that's doing a full workup of the UWP.
MasterGwydion
Emperor Mongoose
This was covered in
Great Rift Book 4: Deep Space Exploration Handbook has everything you need.
