I wonder if ground-based starship construction sites are located in rural areas because people would think they’re a blight or eyesore if they’re in an large urban area like Chicago, San Francisco or NYC? Maybe they’re NIMBYs in Trek's 23rd century earth too, just as they are now? Though previous cannon states that the Enterprise was constructed in the San Francisco ship yards, there’s no on-screen evidence suggesting the construction yards are actually in San Francisco. In the late 20th century San Franciscoans were known for their NIMBYism when it came to freeways, especially these that are elevated and block the city view.. I’d hate to see the reaction to giant shipyards within the city if the NIMBY mindset still exists in the 23rd century. I think a rural area away from the major population area would be the best for a ground-based starship construction yard. It's a lot easier to acquire and develop land too in a rural setting without as much worry about the surrounding populace when compared to an urban city.
Starship construction yards in rural areas?
- Thread starter Lyon_Wonder
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When I first realized the ship was to be coming together on terra firma, I thought, HUH?...as so many of us are spoiled with the notion of zero-gee construction in high orbit, but eh...no real biggie. Trickier to get th' lass up in yon stars...but doable.It does have an impact, I was thinking as I looked at the film at home now, that perhaps space does not...In space, Earth dominates, and the endless cosmos, whereas on the ground, in the open landscape of Iowa, and from Jim's perspective, we can see as he does how truly grand, and inspiring Enterprise is, in a different vista.It sure worked on tipping the decision point after the talk with Pike....
Well,the ship is closer to the raw materials, thats for sure.
Starfleet may have decided its better to have the ship closer to the resources, than to have to move the resources in orbit to the ship.This makes sense for safety reasons, as if something goes boom only Iowa suffers, versus the entire world if the kaboom happens in low Earth orbit.
Starfleet may have decided its better to have the ship closer to the resources, than to have to move the resources in orbit to the ship.This makes sense for safety reasons, as if something goes boom only Iowa suffers, versus the entire world if the kaboom happens in low Earth orbit.
Zero Gravity provides many means of construction that would other wise be impossible if not hazardous in Earth Like conditions. And incase we forget, the Starship is going to be operating in Space for nearly 100%.
For me, seeing the Enterprise being built on Earth is like seeing an entire space station being built completely on land and just lifted up into space some how. Or how about building a car at the bottom of the ocean?
This film should have just been called "Star Trek: Down to Earth".
For me, seeing the Enterprise being built on Earth is like seeing an entire space station being built completely on land and just lifted up into space some how. Or how about building a car at the bottom of the ocean?
This film should have just been called "Star Trek: Down to Earth".
You've got to think of the stress on the superstructure of the ship when it's eventually raised into orbit. Did they use a combination of anti-grav and tractorbeam's, or the ships own propulsion system.
Both building it in orbit and building it on earth have their own benefits. Yes on earth the resources would be closer -that is assuming that we hadn't used them all up and were mining them from the asteroid belt or some other space based location- and you wouldn't have to shuttle the worker to and from a space dock at the end of their shift. But in space you would have the benefit of zero gee to move around large piece's of the frame and hull. It's a toss up. I like the idea of it being built in Seattle though, It makes sense to convert the sea-shipyard's there to star-shipyards.
Both building it in orbit and building it on earth have their own benefits. Yes on earth the resources would be closer -that is assuming that we hadn't used them all up and were mining them from the asteroid belt or some other space based location- and you wouldn't have to shuttle the worker to and from a space dock at the end of their shift. But in space you would have the benefit of zero gee to move around large piece's of the frame and hull. It's a toss up. I like the idea of it being built in Seattle though, It makes sense to convert the sea-shipyard's there to star-shipyards.
It makes no difference if you build it in orbit vs on Earth in TOS days. If the naysayers are correct, then we are left with the following paradox: The Enterprise can go faster than light, the shields can withstand matter-antimatter explosions from photon torpedoes, it can create Earth Gravity inside the ship, survive the gravitational gradient of black holes.... but we are supposed to believe that it can't handle a measly 9.8 m/s/s acceleration?
If Earth's Gravity causes too much stress, just reverse the gravity outside of the ship. This shouldn't use more power than the ship normally creates while in the microgravity of a standard orbit
If Earth's Gravity causes too much stress, just reverse the gravity outside of the ship. This shouldn't use more power than the ship normally creates while in the microgravity of a standard orbit
Let's remember that a starship routinely gets exposed to stresses that are hundreds if not thousands of times greater than those of being built on the ground or lifted from ground to space. Impulse accelerations must be in the category of hundreds of gees at the very least, in order for impulse travel to make any sense. So a starship that can't stand the stresses of taking off must be considered a failure from the very start.
Edit: Oops, Jimmy beat me to it. ^
The proximity of raw materials might be an argument all right. Perhaps young Jimmy Kirk sent his uncle's car down the same quarry whose products would later send Jimmy up to the stars...?
Still waiting for the DVD on an interesting detail, though. IIRC, the movie never established that the Enterprise was the ship being built in Riverside, Iowa. There's a time cut or three there that leave open the possibility that Kirk visited two different construction sites: one next to the bar where he picked up trouble, and another next to the shuttle stop where he picked up a flight to the Academy. In between, he did a lot of biking - perhaps from Iowa to California?
Obviously, he wouldn't consult a map or anything, but would simply stumble upon the West Coast, look around, and see familiar-looking starship yards in the horizon. He'd head there for his shuttle ride to the Academy, and incidentally walk in the shadow of his future command for a few minutes in the process. The other ship of that class, the one built back in Iowa and never seen up close, he would meet again when history conspired to repeat the events of "Tholian Web" or "Omega Glory" or perhaps "Ultimate Computer"...
Timo Saloniemi
Edit: Oops, Jimmy beat me to it. ^
The proximity of raw materials might be an argument all right. Perhaps young Jimmy Kirk sent his uncle's car down the same quarry whose products would later send Jimmy up to the stars...?
Still waiting for the DVD on an interesting detail, though. IIRC, the movie never established that the Enterprise was the ship being built in Riverside, Iowa. There's a time cut or three there that leave open the possibility that Kirk visited two different construction sites: one next to the bar where he picked up trouble, and another next to the shuttle stop where he picked up a flight to the Academy. In between, he did a lot of biking - perhaps from Iowa to California?
Obviously, he wouldn't consult a map or anything, but would simply stumble upon the West Coast, look around, and see familiar-looking starship yards in the horizon. He'd head there for his shuttle ride to the Academy, and incidentally walk in the shadow of his future command for a few minutes in the process. The other ship of that class, the one built back in Iowa and never seen up close, he would meet again when history conspired to repeat the events of "Tholian Web" or "Omega Glory" or perhaps "Ultimate Computer"...
Timo Saloniemi
Outside of the impulse engines, which fire straight back (mostly), there's only maneuvering thrusters pointed downwards.
How much thrust do those things have? Enough to lift the entire ship in gravity?
Once it gets some altitude the impulse engines could help.
How much thrust do those things have? Enough to lift the entire ship in gravity?
Once it gets some altitude the impulse engines could help.
I just thought rural starship yards just made it more convenient for farmboys to get there by frictionless bike...
What about projecting a gravitational field with its shield grid? Plus, I think the impulse engines are non-Newtonian anyway (they can reverse the direction of thrust without reorienting the ship, etc).
Didn't Pike say to Kirk that the shuttle pickup was at Riverside Shipyard? And when we see the shuttle leave before the screen fades to '3 Year Later' we catch NCC-1701 on the half built ship's nacelle?
Right there SilentP, and I doubt that the rest of the cadets in the bar jumped on bikes and headed for California too. You see the ones he was fighting with in the transport.
Except for (correct me if I'm wrong) the one that was pummeling Kirk when Pike walked in (Mushroom haired guy). Think since he was the one who (depending on how you interperet it) crossed a line or at least was caught visually red-handed by a Captain, think he was denied entry to Starfleet Academy?
Wasn't he the one on security duty that grabbed Kirk and Scotty after they beamed back to the Enterprise? I'm sure it was the same guy, he called him cupcake.
That is one of the guys, but I'm referring to the guy with him who was punching Kirk when he had him pinned to the table when Pike came in.
