[TML] Low tech ship design

[Timothy Little]

On Wed, Jan 02, 2008 at 10:13:18PM -0500, Thad Coons wrote:
> First is a TL 8 Earth-to-Orbit combination, probably a two-stage to
> orbit (1st stage atmospheric, 2nd stage rocket), with both
> components fully reusable. Has anyone tried designing such a thing?

I have, though not with that spreadsheet or in FF&S2.  I handled it in
GURPS Vehicles just as a hypersonic aircraft, with the rocket vehicle
portion treated as a large external "pod" in atmospheric flight.
After the rocket rod was detached, the stats on the aircraft changed,
and obviously the rocket craft had its own separate stats.

I don't know if FF&S2 or the spreadsheet has suitable provisions for
large external pods.


> The other is a jump drive test vehicle, which would start out at
> effectively Jump-0. set (obviously) at a later time than the early
> craft.  Any suggestions on how to handle this?

Since it's experimental, the jump drive is likely to be substantially
bulkier, use more fuel, and be much more expensive than a later
developed drive of the same capability.  A quick hack that would
accomplish all three would be to call it a jump-6 drive for design
purposes, but with jump-0 performance.


- Tim