What could a future earth space ship look like.

[KJbushway]

Now I am not talking about the shuttle. I could see that but as slightly modified cargo ship. I am talking about an actual star ship.
Do you think they will use any ships designs from star trek, Stargate, etc.
And who do you think will own it or will it be like the ISS.


I think that they will not use any star trek ship designs unfortunately. I think that it will be a single country who makes the first one, and in my opinion it would be the Russians.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I wouldn't be surprised if something like the NX-class was actually built 150-200 years from now. It may not have warp drive, but it probably could cruise around the solar system at low sublight velocities.

 

[KJbushway]

that would be pretty cool, and it sucks that none of us are going to see it.

 

[T'Girl]

On the outside it would probably look like a Borg cube or the nuBattlestar Galactica.

On the inside, maybe like a nuclear aircraft career, everything where they need to be, not so much pretty.

 

[sojourner]

To be honest, it won't look anything like Star Trek, BSG, or Stargate. If an FTL drive is ever developed, the ship will be designed around it. So, without knowing what that FTL is, it's hard to imagine what the rest of the ship would look like.

Also, this might not be the best forum for the thread.

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ I realize that but I am trying to decide where it needs to go. I am also at work right now so a little patience please.

Edit to add: Moving now. The Science and Tech form would better suit the question.

 

[YARN]

On the outside it would probably look like a Borg cube or the nuBattlestar Galactica.

On the inside, maybe like a nuclear aircraft career, everything where they need to be, not so much pretty.

Right.

I don't think we should imagine that strictly space-going ships would have a bilateral symmetry. It makes sense for terrestrial creatures and terrestrial vehicles to have bilateral symmetry because they inhabit a sphere that is so large that is like (i.e., approximates)moving around on a flat plane. Add gravity pulling down, and it makes sense to have a well defined "top" and "bottom" and "left" vs. "right." In space, this doesn't matter. The only symmetry that matters is forward vs. backward. You need an end that is designed to deal with moving forward (observation equipment, ablative plate, small engines or thrusters to put 'er in reverse) and you need an end to deal with putting stuff behind you (propulsion and probably an antenna to maintain contact with home). Left? Right? Top? Bottom? None of these matter. What matters is forward vs. backward.

 

[KJbushway]

^ I realize that but I am trying to decide where it needs to go. I am also at work right now so a little patience please.

Edit to add: Moving now. The Science and Tech form would better suit the question.

Sorry. I know that now. in the future i'll add the thread to the right spot.

 

[sojourner]

^ I realize that but I am trying to decide where it needs to go. I am also at work right now so a little patience please.

Edit to add: Moving now. The Science and Tech form would better suit the question.

My comment was not meant as a dig at you Astrosmurf. After all, you didn't create the thread.

 

[KJbushway]

I am new.
Don't necessarily know everything, but at least I put two things out there that gave a chance for people to talk about.

 

[KJbushway]

I think that a Earth ship would probably be structured like an aircraft carrier.
But I think it would be more rectangular that square or cubed.
But no-one has answered the other question. Will it be joint operations or will countries have there own ships. Who will build the first one.

F.S.E (you wouldn't know what that is, its in my head)

 

[timelord1010]

It would be nice if the space faring countries of the Earth, basically the countries involved with the International space Station and maybe China and India or even a United Nations effort, would work together to build ships to explore the solar syatem and beyond instead of each country wasting resources duplicating efforts to get into low Earth orbit.
Can you imagine what could be doe if the various space budgets are combined into a common effort to explore space. We could possibly have human bases on the Moon, Mars, and other locations and send humans to the edge of the solar system in 50 years.

 

[BolianAuthor]

I truly honestly believe that it would/could look something VERY similar to the ringship Enterprise, only much much longer, and more "modules" on it, as well as series of rotating rings, one of which would contain a large solar sail that would be part of a laser sail system.

 

[trekkiedane]

On the outside it would probably look like a Borg cube or the nuBattlestar Galactica.

On the inside, maybe like a nuclear aircraft career, everything where they need to be, not so much pretty.

Right.

I don't think we should imagine that strictly space-going ships would have a bilateral symmetry. It makes sense for terrestrial creatures and terrestrial vehicles to have bilateral symmetry because they inhabit a sphere that is so large that is like (i.e., approximates)moving around on a flat plane. Add gravity pulling down, and it makes sense to have a well defined "top" and "bottom" and "left" vs. "right." In space, this doesn't matter. The only symmetry that matters is forward vs. backward. You need an end that is designed to deal with moving forward (observation equipment, ablative plate, small engines or thrusters to put 'er in reverse) and you need an end to deal with putting stuff behind you (propulsion and probably an antenna to maintain contact with home). Left? Right? Top? Bottom? None of these matter. What matters is forward vs. backward.

I would expect the mass of the vessel to be distributed in a symmetric way though -for structural strength and arrangement of thrusters (if your 'port side' is heavier than your 'starboard side' you need more thrust on your 'port' in order to fly straight and the simplest work-around is to build your ship symmetric).

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I once cooked up a design for an Earth ship and it just so happens I still have it in my photobucket album. Here it is.

 

[JustAFriend]

First: study was has already been planned.

The British Interplanetary Society proposed Project Daedalus back in the '70s:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Daedalus

It's not like Star Trek and sci-fi has been the only thing going for the past 40 years....

 

[T'Girl]

I would expect the mass of the vessel to be distributed in a symmetric way though -for structural strength and arrangement of thrusters (if your 'port side' is heavier than your 'starboard side' you need more thrust on your 'port' in order to fly straight and the simplest work-around is to build your ship symmetric).

Nope, you just move your main engine over when you design the ship. As long as your center of mass is balanced above the main engine the ship doesn't have to be symmetrical in the least.

 

[sojourner]

^Ah, but if you do that your going to have structure problems. You can't just have the main axis of thrust going anywhere through the ship. That will lead to structural failure. You have to plan ahead and that means you have to balance the load so you know where structure is needed.

 

[SilentP]

I guess to an extent the size and purpose of the ship would also determine it's function, but I envision spinning. A lot of it. Everything is better with spinning

While going forward and backwards is one thing that'll determine the layout of a ship, I could imagine (as others have similarly stated) that rotational symmetry will be important (see, spinning ) to try and make sure that the loads on the structure are symmetrical and leading to making any vessel simpler to design/control.

 

[trekkiedane]

^Not only simpler, also more sturdy with less material -less material equalling less mass equalling higher acceleration at the same energy expenditure.
Plus, most (if not all) of this would have to be carried up into space from Earth...