[TML] Jump variation

[Timothy Little]

Dan Corrin wrote:
> I have always assumed that jump space movement is completely
> independent of normal space vectors, thus it doesn't matter if one
> is travelling at 0 km/s 160 km/s or 16,000 km/s relative to either
> planet/star the 10% error would be the same in each case.

The 10% error talked about here is the variability in emergence time:
168 hours +- 16.8 hours.


The problem if you jump to a certain point in a frame of reference
fixed by jumpspace, is that planets move - and rather quickly at that.

In 16 hours a planet moving in orbit around some random star (also
moving) could have changed position by a distance of up to 10 million
kilometres or so.  So if you came out of jump right on 168 hours, the
planet is where you aimed.  If you come out of jump 16 hours early or
late, it's 10 million kilometres away.


One proposed solution was that the exit point is stationary compared
with the ship going into jump - and that's what the previous
discussion has been assuming.  If the ship matches velocity with the
planet at expected jump exit time, then the planet hasn't changed
position by much if the ship comes out of jump early or late.


- Tim