Book projects... "Spaceplanes" and "Spaceships"
Scott Lowther
1) "Spaceplanes" This will be a book for model makers and the generally
interested regardign every single spaceplane (loosely defined as any
lifting re-entry system) design that I can dig up information on. It'll
be as loaded with illustrations (3-views, inboard profiles, art, etc.)
as I can make it. Consequently, it'll almost certainly be in two
volumes... the Shuttle designs alone will chew up most of a volume.
So far "Spaceplanes" is still in the scanning phase. Several hundred
images in so far... many to go.
2) "Spaceship Design" Not "space craft" or "space vehicle," but
spaceship. This is a book that has needed to be written for decades, but
doesn't seem to have been... how to design spaceships for science
fiction. I am working away at making it as detailed and rigorous as is
appropriate for the subject matter; when finished, I hope that it - or
some slightly modified version of it - will be equally useful as a
first-cut design manual for "real" spacecraft. "Spaceship" in this
context means everything from small repair pods and kinetic kill
vehicles for ABM interceptors to BDB launchers to SSTOs to suborbital
passenger craft to nuclear exploration craft to fusion cruise liners to
antimatter starships to world ships and warp-drive propelled craft.
Every propulsion, power, weapon, communication system even remotely
feasible for spaceships will be included, described, shown, with all the
important data and equations. It is being split into five major
technology levels:
1: Available Now
2: Avaialble Soon
3: On the horizon
4: Beyond the Horizon
5: Magic
For instance: the "Available Now" section will include propulsion
systems like: Steam rockets; compressed gas rockets; chemical guns;
solid rockets; liquid rockets - mono, biprop, triprop, bimodal; hybrid
rockets; ramjets, turbojets; resistojets; ion engines. "Availabel Soon"
propulsion systems will include: Aerospikes; NTRs; ejector ramjets;
hypersolids; VASIMR; solar sails; tethers. (Scramjets fall into the "On
the horizon" section)
So far after about a month I'm on page 30; most of that is describing
solids and liquids, and I'm not doen yet by a fair margin. Not only will
"Spaceships" describe the basic principles and math for these systems
and integrated vehicles, it will also describe what the things
will/would look like and sound like.
A webpage for "spaceplanes" has been set up; it's basic, but gets the
idea across. A similar one will be set up for "Spaceships" in the near
future. They can be accessed through:
http://www.up-ship.com
--
Scott Lowther, Engineer
Pat Flannery
Scott Lowther wrote:
>.....to suborbital passenger craft to nuclear exploration craft
>
I've sent you some jpegs of my six foot long model of a nuclear/ion
drive Saturn exploration ship in 1/144th scale.
Pat
Jack Bohn
>1) "Spaceplanes" This will be a book for model makers and the generally
>interested regardign every single spaceplane (loosely defined as any
>lifting re-entry system) design that I can dig up information on. It'll
>be as loaded with illustrations (3-views, inboard profiles, art, etc.)
>as I can make it. Consequently, it'll almost certainly be in two
>volumes... the Shuttle designs alone will chew up most of a volume.
[snip]
>A webpage for "spaceplanes" has been set up; it's basic, but gets the
>idea across. A similar one will be set up for "Spaceships" in the near
>future. They can be accessed through:
>http://www.up-ship.com
Your part-time model picture seems to include the Orion
spaceplane from 2001, but I suppose copyright issues will prevent
your using such fully fictional vessels?
I didn't notice the DC-X on your list, isn't that a slightly
lifting body shape? It was developed on government money, wasn't
it, so it should be public domain.
--
-Jack
Scott Lowther
>
> Scott Lowther wrote:
>
> >1) "Spaceplanes" This will be a book for model makers and the generally
> >interested regardign every single spaceplane (loosely defined as any
> >lifting re-entry system) design that I can dig up information on. It'll
> >be as loaded with illustrations (3-views, inboard profiles, art, etc.)
> >as I can make it. Consequently, it'll almost certainly be in two
> >volumes... the Shuttle designs alone will chew up most of a volume.
>
> [snip]
>
> >A webpage for "spaceplanes" has been set up; it's basic, but gets the
> >idea across. A similar one will be set up for "Spaceships" in the near
> >future. They can be accessed through:
> >http://www.up-ship.com
>
> Your part-time model picture seems to include the Orion
> spaceplane from 2001, but I suppose copyright issues will prevent
> your using such fully fictional vessels?
Fictional vehicles are left out of "Spaceplanes." SOME fictional
vehicles will be included in "Spaceships," to serve as examples of
what's right and what's wrong. In order to avoid copyright issues, those
will be my own drawings.
> I didn't notice the DC-X on your list, isn't that a slightly
> lifting body shape? It was developed on government money, wasn't
> it, so it should be public domain.
Things like Delta Clipper and Apollo-shaped capsuels sorta ride the edge
of being spacepalnes. Just not sure yet.
--
Scott Lowther, Engineer
James Stokes
> I'm currently at work on two different book projects:
[snip]
Coolness, where do I pre-order? :-)
Scott Lowther
Nope, I don't do that. It's too easy to fall behind and have peopel get
all snippy...
That said, if you have large sums of money lying around...
--
Scott Lowther, Engineer
Edward Wright
>> Coolness, where do I pre-order? :-)
>
> Nope, I don't do that. It's too easy to fall behind and have peopel get
> all snippy...
No problem, Scott. All you have to do is verbally abuse your customers
and tell them they should be happy because you're doing "good science
and engineering."
Oh, I see, you were talking about the books -- not the spaceplanes.
:-)
elton...@earthlink.net
The one I'm interested in is the Saturns book. When is that gonna be ready?
Chuck Stewart
--
Chuck Stewart
"Anime-style catgirls: Threat? Menace? Or just studying algebra?"
Scott Lowther
>
> The one I'm interested in is the Saturns book. When is that gonna be ready?
I've been tinkering with that for years, and I've not made a whole lot
of progress. Hell, the "Reusable Saturns" is in DIRE need of revision,
and that revision is underway, but I jsut can't seem to make much
forward motion with it.
It'll eventually happen, though.
--
Scott Lowther, Engineer
pete
<lex...@ix.netcom.com> sez:
` I'm currently at work on two different book projects:
`
[...]
`
` 2) "Spaceship Design" Not "space craft" or "space vehicle," but
` spaceship. This is a book that has needed to be written for decades, but
` doesn't seem to have been... how to design spaceships for science
` fiction. I am working away at making it as detailed and rigorous as is
` appropriate for the subject matter; when finished, I hope that it - or
` some slightly modified version of it - will be equally useful as a
` first-cut design manual for "real" spacecraft. "Spaceship" in this
` context means everything from small repair pods and kinetic kill
` vehicles for ABM interceptors to BDB launchers to SSTOs to suborbital
` passenger craft to nuclear exploration craft to fusion cruise liners to
` antimatter starships to world ships and warp-drive propelled craft.
` Every propulsion, power, weapon, communication system even remotely
` feasible for spaceships will be included, described, shown, with all the
` important data and equations.
Two suggestions for inclusion. The first, more prosaic: nano/micro
exploration 'bots - sub gram mass, launched in great quantities in all
directions at extreme velocity via external launch gun, of sundry
mechanisms. Second, the SSLO, single stage log to orbit, discussed
in sci.space.tech about a year ago. Maybe not really feasible, but
wonderfully absurd.
--
==========================================================================
vincent@triumf[munge].ca Pete Vincent
Disclaimer: all I know I learned from reading Usenet.
Peter Stickney
Or, perhaps, Dr. Ed Eteller;s contribution to teh Sace Race - the "Top
Hat" shaft cover to one of the underground shots in the late '5os.
Won't it be interesting when the Zeta Reticulans show up with a
cracked windshield and a damage claim for getting whacked by an
interstellar-travelling manhole cover.
--
Pete Stickney
A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many
bad measures. -- Daniel Webster
Pat Flannery
pete wrote:
>Two suggestions for inclusion. The first, more prosaic: nano/micro
>exploration 'bots - sub gram mass, launched in great quantities in all
>directions at extreme velocity via external launch gun, of sundry
>mechanisms. Second, the SSLO, single stage log to orbit, discussed
>in sci.space.tech about a year ago. Maybe not really feasible, but
>wonderfully absurd.
>
I hereby nominate my idea- The "Vegetative Starship": a truly wonderful
device that puts starflight within our reach even today- as any good
medieval herbalist knows, each species of plant has a affinity for a
certain star, whose influence draws it's sprout forth from the soil
after it germinates... this is a small, but very real, force,- which
like an ion engine can generate a great deal of velocity over a period
of time- the Vegetative Starship resembles one of the greenhouse domes
off of the "Valley Forge" of "Silent Running" fame. It is assembled in
GEO, and it's crew of carefully selected award-winning
gardener/scientists put onboard... then the planting of the correct type
of plant for the target star ensues -the domed top section of the ship
is aimed toward the destination, and the seeds begin to feel the
influence of the distant target sun- but as they try to draw themselves
toward it with their sprouting, their roots are locked squarely into a
artificial soil matrix screen, and they begin to slowly pull the whole
ship along with themselves as they are drawn starward- bit by bit the
speed increases as the plants continue to grow (if in a somewhat stunted
state, due to the acceleration of their garden environment) and after
two or three generations have been planted, the ship is moving at a good
fraction of lightspeed- now the plants are harvested for the last time,
and another species sown, which has an affinity toward a star at the
antipodes of the celestial sphere, thereby braking the starship's
velocity and allowing it to enter orbit around it's destination... other
species of plants can be planted in small amounts to serve as a
maneuvering system for the ship changing it's attitude and modifying
it's trajectory as they are moved around in it's interior and are
attracted to their kindred stars.
But one of the real advantages of this type of starship is that it's
self homing; pick the correct species of plant, kick back, and let
mother nature do all the work....no fuss, no muss.... and no annoying,
almost weekly, imminent breach of the matter/antimatter containment
field! ...and, with a little forethought and careful choice of
destination stars, edible species of plant can be used, and sustain the
crew with their harvesting and oxygen producing ability. "Ad Astra Per
Asparagus" may well be the motto of these harvesters of the heavens;
these gardeners of the galaxies; these sower's to the stars!
But we must ask ourselves...is there anything wrong with this idea? Is
it perhaps unworkable? I need only point out one staggering argument in
it's favor- I mean of course- that Great Enigma; That Mysterious
Manuscript; That WONDER Of WONDERS..... THE VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT! LOOK AT
THIS, YOU DOUBTING SWINE!!!!!!!!!*
http://www.crystalinks.com/voynich.html
An entire book of star charts, written in a language no one has ever
been able to decipher, with loads of pictures of plants no one has ever
seen on Earth.....and, as a special bonus, and incentive to make you
look at the site above...PICTURES OF NAKED LADIES ALSO!
Naked Ladies that were probably being lusted after by some priaptic
aliens in a Vegetative Starship when they dropped by our Solar System
round about 1400 or so, sick and tired of having eaten Sunflower Seeds
for twenty odd years (One of the few plants that IS recognizable in the
manuscript is the Sunflower; now revealed to be a Triffid-like
contaminant upon our blessed Earth, and most aptly named; for this was
the fuel that brought these adventurous Botonauts to our planet- you
will note that there is no mention of the Sunflower plant in the
Holy-Bible-Book, sure proof that it didn't exist on Earth until it was
brought here!)- they got drunk, got laid, and lost one of their tech
manuals, as they puked their hung over way back into the sky....
ready to eat grass for the next twenty years, on their way to the star
Aldebaran....in Taurus the Bull.
Pat Flannery
* Use of "slowly Building FRENZY" writing style is licensed by "The
Flanco School Of CRAZED WRITING!!!", and unauthorized use is forbidden,
under penalty Of Violent Dismemberment BY NONCORPOREAL BEINGS!!!!