Non-Airbreathing Aircraft Engine ?

[rust]

The first result of the design with GURPS Vehicles looks like this:

Scout Aircraft
Crew: 2
Passengers: 4
Cargo: 2,500 kg
Volume: 1.6 dtons
Empty Weight: 2,750 kg
Loaded Weight: 4,600 kg
Power: RTG 1,100 kW
Drive: 2 Ducted Fans 500 kW each
Endurance: 14 years
Speed: 560 km/h
Cost: 145,000 Cr

Computer, 2 Terminals, LR Communicator, Radar 30 km, Precision Avio-
nics, Full Life Support System, STOL-Wings

The empty weight of the aircraft seems very low, but I did not find any
mistake in my mathematics, perhaps future material will really make so-
mething like this possible.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

At the atmospheric pressure you have, you might consider a variation of a Helicopter. The engine could be a Fuel Cell carrying both Hydrogen and Oxygen for fuel.

Fuel Cells would probably work in a lot of situations for smaller vehicles on Samar.

 

[rust]

At the atmospheric pressure you have, you might consider a variation of a Helicopter. The engine could be a Fuel Cell carrying both Hydrogen and Oxygen for fuel.

Fuel Cells would probably work in a lot of situations for smaller vehicles on Samar.

Thank you very much.

A good idea, although such fuel cells will only become possible once the
colonists have discovered a sufficient source of water to establish a fuel
electrolysis plant - a good idea for the future development of the colony.
The same is true for the helicopter, it is also a useful future addition.

 

[rust]

And the second aircraft would look like this:

Transport Aircraft
Crew: 2
Passengers: 20
Cargo: 5,000 kg
Volume: 2.6 dtons
Empty Weight: 6,100 kg
Loaded Weight: 13,300 kg
Power: RTG 2,200 kW
Drive: 2 Ducted Fans 1,000 kW each
Endurance: 14 years
Speed: 510 km/h
Cost: 208,000 Cr
Computer, 2 Terminals, LR Communicator, Radar 30 km, Precision Avio-
nics, Full Life Support System, STOL-Wings

I think the surprisingly low empty weight resulted because the fuel tanks
and especially the fuel for internal combustion engines of the same power
output and a useful endurance of several hours would be much heavier
than the radiothermal generator.

 

[DFW]

rust, this power source is a good one for submarines on your "base" world too. Use a Stirling engine coupled with it.

 

[rust]

rust, this power source is a good one for submarines on your "base" world too. Use a Stirling engine coupled with it.

Yep, a good idea, thank you.

As for the data of the power source, I just used the GURPS Vehicle data
for a radiothermal generator of a technology level considerably higher
than the normal technology level of the Samar setting.

The weight is a basic weight of 25 lbs plus 1 lb per kW of power genera-
ted, the volume in cf is the weight divided by 100, and the cost is 50 Cr
per lb of weight.

 

[DFW]

rust, this power source is a good one for submarines on your "base" world too. Use a Stirling engine coupled with it.

Yep, a good idea, thank you.

As for the data of the power source, I just used the GURPS Vehicle data
for a radiothermal generator of a technology level considerably higher
than the normal technology level of the Samar setting.

The weight is a basic weight of 25 lbs plus 1 lb per kW of power genera-
ted, the volume in cf is the weight divided by 100, and the cost is 50 Cr
per lb of weight.

Cool, thanks for creating the specs. Another power source for my game too.

 

[Chernobyl]

I've seen articles describing motors running on compressed air for autos. Basically a 4000psi tank stores mechanical energy. Maybe something like this could drive a prop-driven aircraft. A solar powered compressor could trickle-charge up the tank between uses in the field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_air_car

4ksi tanks are less efficient energy storage than batteries, so maybe its not realistic. Perhaps something like a wing-in-ground-effect vehicle or hovercraft might be used instead of aircraft.

 

[Silvereye]

You may want to take a look at NASA's Green Flight Challenge -
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/ear...ennial_challenges/general_aviation/index.html

Also New scientist ran an article on hybrid / electric planes a while back -
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20827851.400-electriflyers-hybrids-take-to-the-sky.html

Another one to look at is Qinetiq's Zephyr while it will not have the lift capacity to haul people and cargo around, it might give you ideas - http://www.qinetiq.com/home/products/zephyr.html
The launch method is also amusing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejXaAwsIDoI

 

[rust]

Thank you all very much for your ideas, my list of options is nicely growing.