Reaction Drives for Triplanetary

[Tom Kalbfus]

These drives are a precursor to the maneuver drive, they require reaction mass as well as energy provided by the power plant. The power plant is a fusion reactor that runs on a combination of tritium and deuterium, the reaction mass of both drives is simply hydrogen, all three are stored in liquid form and may be obtained from a gas giant, or from water using a fuel processor, or may be bought at a spaceport.

There are two types or reaction drives, both are powered by a fusion reactor of the same drive code or better. The Fast Drive is used for getting into orbit from a planet's surface. It takes a 6 g Fast Drive 20.5 minutes to get into a low orbit around Jupiter (300 km altitude) from deep inside Jupiter's atmosphere (the 1 bar level) So I'll use 20.5 minutes as the standard duration for determining reaction mass requirements. The Slow Drive is used for getting around the Solar System, unlike the fast drive, acceleration is rated from 1 to 6 hundredths of an Earth gravity. I've determined that you need 43 days to go from Earth to Saturn when the two planets are in opposition, so 43 days is my standard duration for the Slow Drive. Drive Costs are in US dollars, if you wish to use British Pounds halve the costs in that column.

Drive Costs
------ Fast Drive ------ 20.5 min-- Slow Drive ------ 43 days of Power Plant----- ------ 43 days of
Drive ------ ------------------ Reaction--------------------- Reaction---------------------------- Fuel
Code Tons Cost $----------- Mass Tons Cost $----------- Mass Tons Cost $------------------ Tons
A---- 10--- $20,000,000---- 10--- 2---- $8,000,000------ 10--- 4---- $16,000,000---- 6.2
B---- 15--- $40,000,000---- 20--- 3---- $16,000,000---- 20--- 7---- $32,000,000---- 9.3
C---- 20--- $60,000,000---- 30--- 5---- $24,000,000---- 30--- 10--- $48,000,000---- 12.3
D---- 25--- $80,000,000---- 40--- 7---- $32,000,000---- 40--- 13--- $64,000,000---- 15.4
E---- 30--- $100,000,000--- 50--- 9---- $40,000,000---- 50--- 16--- $80,000,000---- 18.5
F---- 35--- $120,000,000--- 60--- 11--- $48,000,000---- 60--- 19--- $96,000,000---- 21.5
G---- 40--- $140,000,000--- 70--- 13--- $56,000,000---- 70--- 22--- $112,000,000--- 24.6
H---- 45--- $160,000,000--- 80--- 15--- $64,000,000---- 80--- 25--- $128,000,000--- 27.7
J---- 50--- $180,000,000--- 90--- 17--- $72,000,000---- 90--- 28--- $144,000,000--- 30.8
K---- 55--- $200,000,000--- 100-- 19--- $80,000,000---- 100-- 31--- $160,000,000--- 33.8
L---- 60--- $220,000,000--- 110-- 21--- $88,000,000---- 110-- 34--- $176,000,000--- 36.9
M---- 65--- $240,000,000--- 120-- 23--- $96,000,000---- 120-- 37--- $192,000,000--- 40
N---- 70--- $260,000,000--- 130-- 25--- $104,000,000--- 130-- 40--- $208,000,000--- 43
P---- 75--- $280,000,000--- 140-- 27--- $112,000,000--- 140-- 43--- $224,000,000--- 46.1
Q---- 80--- $300,000,000--- 150-- 29--- $120,000,000--- 150-- 46--- $240,000,000--- 49.2
R---- 85--- $320,000,000--- 160-- 31--- $128,000,000--- 160-- 49--- $256,000,000--- 52.3
S---- 90--- $340,000,000--- 170-- 33--- $136,000,000--- 170-- 52--- $272,000,000--- 55.3
T---- 95--- $360,000,000--- 180-- 35--- $144,000,000--- 180-- 55--- $288,000,000--- 58.4
U---- 100-- $380,000,000--- 190-- 37--- $152,000,000--- 190-- 58--- $304,000,000--- 61.5
V---- 105-- $400,000,000--- 200-- 39--- $160,000,000--- 200-- 61--- $320,000,000--- 64.5
W--- 110-- $420,000,000--- 210- 41--- $168,000,000--- 210-- 64--- $336,000,000--- 67.6
X---- 115-- $440,000,000--- 220-- 43--- $176,000,000--- 220-- 67--- $352,000,000--- 70.7
Y---- 120-- $460,000,000--- 230-- 45--- $184,000,000--- 230-- 70--- $368,000,000--- 73.8
Z---- 125-- $480,000,000--- 240-- 47--- $192,000,000--- 240-- 73--- $384,000,000--- 76.8

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Substitute the following two tables for the Performance by Hull Volume table in the Core rulebook
Performance by Hull Code Reaction
Drive Fast Drives - Accel is in Earth Gravities - - - - Thrust Mass tons
Code 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A C E G J L Tons 20.5 min
A 2 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 200 10
B 4 2 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - 400 20
C 6 3 2 1 - - - - - - - - - - - 600 30
D - 4 2 2 1 - - - - - - - - - - 800 40
E - 5 3 2 2 1 - - - - - - - - - 1000 50
F - 6 4 3 2 2 1 - - - - - - - - 1200 60
G - - 4 3 2 2 2 1 - - - - - - - 1400 70
H - - 5 4 3 2 2 2 1 - - - - - - 1600 80
J - - 6 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 - - - - - 1800 90
K - - - 5 4 3 2 2 2 2 1 - - - - 2000 100
L - - - 5 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 - - - - 2200 110
M - - - 6 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 - - - 2400 120
N - - - 6 5 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 - - - 2600 130
P - - - - 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 - - 2800 140
Q - - - - 6 5 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 - - 3000 150
R - - - - 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 - 3200 160
S - - - - 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 - 3400 170
T - - - - - 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 3600 180
U - - - - - 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 3800 190
V - - - - - 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 4000 200
W - - - - - - 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 4200 210
X - - - - - - 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 4400 220
Y - - - - - - 6 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 2 4600 230
Z - - - - - - 6 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 4800 240

Performance by Hull Code Reaction
Drive Slow Drives Accel is in Earth Gravities - - - - Thrust Mass tons
Code 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A C E G J L Tons 43 days
A 2% 1% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 10
B 4% 2% 1% - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 20
C 6% 3% 2% 2% 1% - - - - - - - - - - 6 30
D - 4% 3% 2% 2% 1% - - - - - - - - - 8 40
E - 5% 3% 3% 2% 2% 1% - - - - - - - - 10 50
F - 6% 4% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% - - - - - - 12 60
G - - 5% 4% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% - - - - - 14 70
H - - 5% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% - - - - 16 80
J - - 6% 5% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% - - - 18 90
K - - - 5% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 1% - - - 20 100
L - - - 6% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% - - 22 110
M - - - - 5% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% - 24 120
N - - - - 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 1% - 26 130
P - - - - 6% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 1% 28 140
Q - - - - - 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 30 150
R - - - - - 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 32 160
S - - - - - 6% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 34 170
T - - - - - - 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 36 180
U - - - - - - 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 38 190
V - - - - - - 6% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 40 200
W - - - - - - - 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 42 210
X - - - - - - - 6% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 44 220
Y - - - - - - - - 5% 5% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 46 230
Z - - - - - - - - 5% 5% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 48 240
Scout Ship - - - Tons Price ($) Price(£)
Hull 100 tons Hull 2 $4,400,000 £2,200,000
- Streamlined - Structure 2 - - -
Armor Titanium Steel 4 points - 10 $440,000 £220,000
Fast Drive A - - Thrust 2 10 $20,000,000 £10,000,000
Slow Drive A Thrust 2% 10 $8,000,000 £4,000,000
Power Plant A - - - - 4 $16,000,000 £8,000,000
Bridge - - - - 10 $1,000,000 £500,000
Computer Model 1/bis - Rating 5 - $90,000 £45,000
Electronics Military Sensors - +0 DM - $2,000,000 £1,000,000

Weapons Hardpoint #1 - Double Turret (empty) 1 $1,000,000 £500,000

Fuel 6.2 tons 43 days of operation 6.2
Reaction Mass 20 tons 20.5 min of 2G accel 20
43 days of 0.02G accel
Cargo 8 tons - - 8
4 Staterooms - - - - 16 $4,000,000 £2,000,000

Extras 10 Probe Drones - - - 2 $2,000,000 £1,000,000
- Fuel Scoop - - -
- 2 Fuel Processors - - 2 $200,000 £100,000

- Ship's Locker - - -
Software Maneuver/0 - - -
- Library/0 -


Maintenance Cost (monthly) - - - - $49,275 £24,638
Life Support Cost (monthly) - - - - $16,000 £8,000
Total Tonnage and Cost - - - 99.2 $59,130,000 £29,565,000


Far Trader - - - - Tons Price ($) Price (£)
Hull 200 tons Hull 4 - - $17,600,000 8800000
- Streamlined Structure 4 - - $1,760,000 880000
Armor Titanium Steel 4 points - - 20
Fast Drive B - Thrust 2 - 15 $40,000,000 £20,000,000
Slow Drive A - Thrust 1% - 3 $8,000,000 £4,000,000
Power Plant B - - - - 7 $32,000,000 £16,000,000
Bridge - - - - 10 $2,000,000 £1,000,000.00
Computer Model 1/bis Rating 5 - - - $90,000 £45,000.00
Electronics Civilian Sensors -2 DM - 1 $100,000 £50,000.00

Weapons Hardpoint #1
Hardpoint #1

Fuel 9.3 tons - - 9.3
Reaction Mass 30 tons - - 30
Cargo 59 tons - - 59
10 Staterooms - - - - 40 $10,000,000 £5,000,000.00
6 Low Berths - - - - 3 $600,000 £300,000.00

Extras Fuel Scoop - - -
- 2 Fuel Processors - - - 2 $200,000 £100,000
- Ship's Locker - - -
Software
- Maneuver/0
- Library/0

Maintenance Cost (monthly) - - - - $93,625 $46,813
Life Support Cost (monthly) - - - - $40,000,000 £20,000,000
Total Tonnage and Cost - - - 199.3 $112,350,000 $56,175,000


Subsidized Merchant - - - Tons Price ($) Price (£)
Hull 400 tons Hull 8 - - $35,200,000 £17,600,000
- Streamlined - Structure 8
Armor None
Fast Drive D - - Thrust 2 - 25 $80,000,000 £40,000,000
Slow Drive C - - Thrust 1% 5 $24,000,000 £12,000,000
Power Plant D - - - - 13 $64,000,000 £32,000,000
Bridge - - - - 20 $4,000,000 £2,000,000
Computer Model 1 - Rating 5 - - $60,000 £30,000
Electronics Civilian Sensors -2 DM 1 $100,000 £50,000

Weapons Hardpoint #1 -
- Hardpoint #2
- Hardpoint #3

Fuel 15.4 tons 43 days of operation 15.4
Reaction Mass 70 tons - - 70
Cargo 185 tons - - 185
13 Staterooms - - - - 52 $13,000,000 £6,500,000
9 Low Berths - - - - 4.5 $900,000 £450,000

Extras Fuel Scoop -
- Fuel Processor - - 1 $100,000 £50,000
- Escape Pods One for every stateroom 6.5 $2,600,000 £1,300,000
- Ship's Locker

Software Maneuver/0
- Library/0

Maintenance Cost (monthly) - - - $18,663.33 £9,332
Life Support Cost (monthly) - - - - $53,800 £26,900
Total Tonnage and Cost - - - 398.4 $223,960,000 $111,980,000


Mercenary Cruiser - - - Tons Price ($)
Hull 800 tons Hull 16 $160,000,000
- - - Structure 16
Armor Titanium Steel - 4 points 80 $8,000,000
Fast Drive M - Thrust 3 20.5 minutes 65 $240,000,000
Slow Drive M - Thrust 3% 43 days of operation 23 $96,000,000
Power Plant M - - - - 37 $192,000,000
Bridge - - - - 20 $8,000,000
Computer Model 5/fib Rating 25 (hardened vs EMP) - - - $30,000,000
Electronics +0 DM - - 2 $2,000,000

Weapons Hardpoint #1 Triple Turret (empty) - - 1 $2,000,000
- Hardpoint #2 Triple Turret (empty) - - 1 $2,000,000
- Hardpoint #3 Triple Turret (empty) - - 1 $2,000,000
- Hardpoint #4 Triple Turret (empty) - - 1 $2,000,000
- Hardpoint #5 Triple Turret (empty) - - 1 $2,000,000
- Hardpoint #6 Triple Turret (empty) - - 1 $2,000,000
- Hardpoint #7 Triple Turret (empty) - - 1 $2,000,000
- Hardpoint #8 Triple Turret (empty) - - 1 $2,000,000

Fuel 40 tons 43 days of operation 40
Reaction Mass 240 tons - - 240
Cargo 177 tons - - 77
25 Staterooms - - - - 100 $25,000,000

Extras Repair Drones - - - 8 $3,200,000
Ships locker


Software Maneuver/0
- Library/0 - -
- Evade/3 - - - - $6,000,000
- Fire Control/3 - - - - $12,000,000
- Auto Repair/2 - - - - $20,000,000

Maintenance Cost (monthly) - - - - $68,183.33
Life Support Cost (monthly) - - - - $100,000
Total Tonnage and Cost - - - 800 $818,200,000

 

[Infojunky]

Tom, you do know there is Traveller Precursor game called Triplanetary?

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Tom, you do know there is Traveller Precursor game called Triplanetary?

Really? As I understand it, the Traveller timeline has the Jump Drive invented in the 21st century, and neither Mars nor Venus are terraformed. the starting premise of my setting is that Mars and Venus have indigenous life, or at least life that was transplanted there by aliens millions of years ago. History on Earth proceeds as in our timeline until the true nature of Earth's neighboring planets is discovered, is that the basis of the Triplanetary setting. Basically my idea is similar to the game Space 1889, except it uses real world physics rather that the Ether impellers invented by Thomas Edison, so basically its a hard science take on Pulpish Venus and Mars. Is the Triplanetary setting that's a precursor to Traveller like that?

I don't think you mean the Lensman series by E.E. Smith, even though it has the same name as my setting, it is nothing like it, mine is more like Space 1889 but set in the 20th and 21st centiuries.

Checked out the Traveller game Triplanetary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triplanetary
Doesn't say anything about a habitable Venus or Mars, maybe interplanetary travel is similar. I still think my project is worth pursuing. The ships I listed, they don't have reactionless engines, or jump drives, or artificial gravity. There are two kinds of maneuver drives, one I call "Fast" and the other I call "Slow" The Fast Drive has acceleration in 1 to 6 Gs, but is uses up fuel rather quickly, it is used for getting off a planet's surface and into orbit, the other is the Slow Drive which is used for getting around the Solar System, those drives are rated from 1% to 6% of Earths Gravity of acceleration, basically the same travel formulas are used to determine travel time, for trips between the inner planets ships accelerate for half the journey and decelerate for the other half, travel typical takes about a week give or take a few days, depending on the relative positions of the planets in their orbits to each other. Going to Saturn takes a while longer, up to 43 days when Earth and Saturn are on opposite sides of the Sun from each other. Jupiter simply is not habitable, it isn't even worth skimming for fuel, its gravity is too strong, most people obtain their fuel from water on Mars, Venus or Earth. the Moon has a small base on it, Mars and Venus were more interesting because they had life on it. Not many people are interested in building large space colonies in orbit, it was much cheaper to establish bases on the Surface of Mars and Venus than to worry about life support for large structures other than spaceships.