Re: SF rocket propulsion?


Ordover@xxxxxxx wrote:
Well, real space combat would IMHO be short and sweet. The first
targeting computer to lock onto the other ship would immediately fire a
particle beam weapon capable of destroying the other ship (there are no
such things as "deflector" sheilds, of course), which particle beam
would move at near light-speed, much faster than any relativistic ship
can move (we're talking real physics, right) so the combat is likely to
be over before the humans involved ever know it's begun, since it will
all come down to whose sensors and weapons work at a longer range and
whose computers are faster.

It is likely that ships would be detectable well outside of the ranges
of beam weapons. This means combat would probably be protracted.

But real space combat is unlikely to ever happen, since in the real
world there's nothing in space worth fighting over. Even orbital
bombardment from a ship in orbit is unlikely since particle beam
weapons would pick off the ships and let's face it, the planet being
attacked would have months if not years to prepare at relativistic
speeds.

Nothing is space worth fighting for? If there are spacecraft then there
are likely to be space and surface habitats, research and science
stations, factories and mines. All of the apparatus of economic
activity is there to defend and attack.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: SF rocket propulsion?
    ... particle beam weapon capable of destroying the other ship (there are no ... world there's nothing in space worth fighting over. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.science)
  • Re: SF rocket propulsion?
    ... particle beam weapon capable of destroying the other ship (there are no ... of beam weapons. ... world there's nothing in space worth fighting over. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.science)
  • Re: SF rocket propulsion?
    ... real space combat would IMHO be short and sweet. ... particle beam weapon capable of destroying the other ship (there are no ... weapons would pick off the ships and let's face it, ...
    (rec.arts.sf.science)
  • Re: A space of TB 4Xs
    ... And for centuries there were scientists who were certain it could be ... The most powerful beam weapon we can build is roughly 2 megajoules. ... building a bigger one is engineering, ... the way you move such a ship is called ...
    (comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic)