Crosswords0 min ago
Space Ships
could you make them any shape - after all aerodynamics don't matter in space do they?
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The shape of an interstellar space ship would be determined by several factors. If you have an engine at the back end that may be hazardous to the crew by the production of ionizing radiation then the crew would need to be as far as possible from it as other safety considerations allow. The space ship would need to be of such a shape that the thrust from the engine passed as nearly through its constituents as possible so a to minimize the amount of structural materials needed. This gives a long thin structure with in order from the front particle shield, water tank, provisions, accommodation, fuel, engine. By being long and thin there is less chance of collisions with particles and the crew is as far away from the hazard of collision and engines as possible. It would probably look like a radio mast or tube with lots of bits bolted on the outside, so that they could be jettisoned if needed, an engine at one end and a shield wide enough to protect the essential bits at the front. This layout has been re-invented many times.
If you really want to pick the nit, you would probably have to take in to consideration Cosmic dust and radiation ( of all forms. ) Given that photons are beleived to be responsible for moving around large chunks of rock in the asteroid belt you probably wouldn't want to have a large flat surface facing towards a star.
Collision with space dust at any appreciable speed would have to be considered in terms of damage it could cause to the craft and Collection of space dust would also increase the overall mass of the craft and thereby increase its inertia requiring more power to move it.
So assuming you are never going to pass through an atmosphere its really a question of how fast you want to go, how far, and how much energy you have to expend driving the thing.
Collision with space dust at any appreciable speed would have to be considered in terms of damage it could cause to the craft and Collection of space dust would also increase the overall mass of the craft and thereby increase its inertia requiring more power to move it.
So assuming you are never going to pass through an atmosphere its really a question of how fast you want to go, how far, and how much energy you have to expend driving the thing.
