[Heresy] Tanks for the space!

thrash · 06-25-2020, 08:48 PM

By their nature, Traveller starships spend most of their time with empty jump fuel tanks. Assuming one day on each end maneuvering to and from the 100D limit, the fraction is almost 90%. Any reasonably competent design could isolate power plant fuel and fuel for subsequent jumps (if any) in their own tanks, leaving big chunks (10% per jump number) of the interior empty and dry except at the very beginning of a voyage.

So, what's to prevent designing the jump tanks with this fact in mind, and using the space for something else? Of course, many existing Traveller deck plans are not well adapted for this approach, but there's nothing to prevent it in theory. Prepping the tanks is mostly a matter of venting any residual hydrogen to vacuum or jumpspace, allowing the bulkheads to warm up, filling the space with breathable air, and opening the maintenance hatches.

NASA originally conceived of Skylab in similar terms, called the "wet workshop" approach. It was eventually shelved in favor of "dry workshop" designs, mostly due to the difficulty in adding components to the tank after departure. This constraint would also limit the uses of an empty fuel tank to those with limited and mobile infrastructure requirements. Some thoughts:

Exercise room. Collapsible frame for body weight exercises (pull-ups, etc.), wheeled rack of (possibly water-filled) free weights, treadmill or stationary bicycle, and independent control of the gravitics would provide all the components needed for a physical fitness regime, without having to take space out of the galley or common room.
Shooting range. Ever wondered how one practices gun skills on shipboard? Probably uses blanks or pneumatic recoil simulators and laser scoring rather than paper targets and bullet traps, but Traveller hulls are proof against small arms if the tank shares a wall with the exterior.
Dōjō, boxing/MMA ring, or piste. Same goes for melee weapons or hand-to-hand.
Sport court. Handball, racket ball, basketball, triad/pyramid, etc. -- as long as it involves a big box, a ball, and maybe paddles or a net.
Microgravity trainer. Cut off the gravitics and hand out the barf bags. Might be combined with exotic sports (above). Good for crew drills, too.
Sundeck. Oversized lamps, folding chairs and tables. AstroTurf (!) rug and inflatable palm trees optional.
Ballroom. Popular on subsidized liners. Mirrored ball, fog machine, and low-power lasers optional.
Theater/auditorium. Racks of folding chairs and an audio/visual system make for a collective break from individual entertainments.
Sand table. Hang a projector from the overhead, and one can wargame for pleasure or serious training/mission prep (if a military/mercenary ship).

This would, in part, also relieve some of the space restrictions inherent in my mass vs. displacement tons heresy.

06-25-2020, 08:48 PM	#1
thrash Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: traveller	[Heresy] Tanks for the space! By their nature, Traveller starships spend most of their time with empty jump fuel tanks. Assuming one day on each end maneuvering to and from the 100D limit, the fraction is almost 90%. Any reasonably competent design could isolate power plant fuel and fuel for subsequent jumps (if any) in their own tanks, leaving big chunks (10% per jump number) of the interior empty and dry except at the very beginning of a voyage. So, what's to prevent designing the jump tanks with this fact in mind, and using the space for something else? Of course, many existing Traveller deck plans are not well adapted for this approach, but there's nothing to prevent it in theory. Prepping the tanks is mostly a matter of venting any residual hydrogen to vacuum or jumpspace, allowing the bulkheads to warm up, filling the space with breathable air, and opening the maintenance hatches. NASA originally conceived of Skylab in similar terms, called the "wet workshop" approach. It was eventually shelved in favor of "dry workshop" designs, mostly due to the difficulty in adding components to the tank after departure. This constraint would also limit the uses of an empty fuel tank to those with limited and mobile infrastructure requirements. Some thoughts: Exercise room. Collapsible frame for body weight exercises (pull-ups, etc.), wheeled rack of (possibly water-filled) free weights, treadmill or stationary bicycle, and independent control of the gravitics would provide all the components needed for a physical fitness regime, without having to take space out of the galley or common room. Shooting range. Ever wondered how one practices gun skills on shipboard? Probably uses blanks or pneumatic recoil simulators and laser scoring rather than paper targets and bullet traps, but Traveller hulls are proof against small arms if the tank shares a wall with the exterior. Dōjō, boxing/MMA ring, or piste. Same goes for melee weapons or hand-to-hand. Sport court. Handball, racket ball, basketball, triad/pyramid, etc. -- as long as it involves a big box, a ball, and maybe paddles or a net. Microgravity trainer. Cut off the gravitics and hand out the barf bags. Might be combined with exotic sports (above). Good for crew drills, too. Sundeck. Oversized lamps, folding chairs and tables. AstroTurf (!) rug and inflatable palm trees optional. Ballroom. Popular on subsidized liners. Mirrored ball, fog machine, and low-power lasers optional. Theater/auditorium. Racks of folding chairs and an audio/visual system make for a collective break from individual entertainments. Sand table. Hang a projector from the overhead, and one can wargame for pleasure or serious training/mission prep (if a military/mercenary ship). This would, in part, also relieve some of the space restrictions inherent in my mass vs. displacement tons heresy.