Post AlDxf55FTWE0XcCblg by isaackuo@spacey.space
 (DIR) More posts by isaackuo@spacey.space
 (DIR) Post #AlC7fWlv8p7fdl5rto by Hcobb@spacey.space
       2024-08-21T11:41:00Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       Diversions and ExcursionsSpace Battlecruiser Otto on the way to Ceres gets a transmission from Sol Command to take a look at something that's popped up along or near their route, what are the options?If the ship has already passed something that they don't have the thrust or delta V to back up to then all they can hope to do is take a look with their sensors.If the subject is ahead of them, but with no time to stop, they can do a pass by.1/2
       
 (DIR) Post #AlC7fYc4IQQjLmV1ou by Hcobb@spacey.space
       2024-08-21T11:41:11Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       And finally if they have space and time they can arrange to stop.Whataboutism a trap? Should BC Otto run a zig-zag course to avoid arriving at a predictable point in spacetime?2/2
       
 (DIR) Post #AlC7fb1fKE5spkUUzo by Hcobb@spacey.space
       2024-08-21T12:03:31Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       Perhaps Otto can send her high acceleration but low delta-v spacefighters to close the gap in a flyby?
       
 (DIR) Post #AlDxf3Hw9NBayO7iGe by isaackuo@spacey.space
       2024-08-22T11:41:08Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @Hcobb Bear in mind that whatever that "something" is will also be moving along some orbit. So it's not really a matter of "backing up" or "stopping".In any case, having a loose "screen" of widely spaced apart sensor drones makes sense. No need for carrier type operations frittering away propellant most of the time.Depending on the details of propulsion science (not necessarily real life physics), it may be necessary to retrieve the sensor drones at times. This is a possible vulnerability.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlDxf55FTWE0XcCblg by isaackuo@spacey.space
       2024-08-22T11:44:09Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @Hcobb With real life physics, though, it will generally be possible to very rarely retrieve sensor drones. Using chemical rocket propulsion, these sensor drones can independently fly themselves interplanetary, staying near highly elliptical orbits or L1/L2 points when near a planet.This orbits/regions require little delta-v to get transfer to/from interplanetary transfer orbits.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlEAebkVq3tWxxbkm0 by Hcobb@spacey.space
       2024-08-22T13:15:50Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @isaackuo Or the probes are sailbots and the battlecruiser's lasers push these on one-way hyperbolic paths.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlEAecTX8fuJDafhwm by Hcobb@spacey.space
       2024-08-22T13:21:03Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @isaackuo The sailprobe being effectively invulnerable as only the launching ship knows the high-G path it is sent on and hence can't be targeted by hostile forces.
       
 (DIR) Post #AlEAed0r8mYuswGJt2 by isaackuo@spacey.space
       2024-08-22T13:57:11Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @Hcobb Laser sailbots are a lot less easy than one might think, but in any case if you can do high gee laser sailbots, so can an enemy. As such, they could be used to target your sailbots. If they wanted to, of course. Depending on the situations, it might not be worth the effort.Note that laser thrust is MUCH less efficient than chemical rocket thrust, or laser thermal rocket thrust.