[Spaceships] Detection results

[Stormcrow]

There seems to be a contradiction on page 45 of GURPS Spaceships regarding the information one obtains upon detecting a spacecraft. The text just above Signal Detection says you automatically learns the object's "range, course, temperature class, and SM, but no other details." The Detection box, however, has a long list of things you will learn, or possibly learn under certain circumstances.

Which is correct? Or can they be reconciled somehow?

[SuedodeuS]

I'd say the text is just in reference to any detected body (planet, asteroid, star, corpse, etc), whereas the information in the box is specific to detected spacecraft.

[Stormcrow]

That's an interesting point. One line just before the modifiers certainly obscures that, if it is the intention: "Spacecraft will usually be using passive sensors to detect other spacecraft. The relevant modifiers are summarized below."

I figured "temperature class" referred to the various IR Signature modifiers in the list. Now, detecting a planet is usually trivial, but what temperature class would, say, the Earth be? (Suppose, for instance, that you're scanning the Solar System from some other star system, looking for planets?)

[David L Pulver]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

That's an interesting point. One line just before the modifiers certainly obscures that, if it is the intention: "Spacecraft will usually be using passive sensors to detect other spacecraft. The relevant modifiers are summarized below."

I figured "temperature class" referred to the various IR Signature modifiers in the list. Now, detecting a planet is usually trivial, but what temperature class would, say, the Earth be? (Suppose, for instance, that you're scanning the Solar System from some other star system, looking for planets?)

Interstellar detection and planet finding is in Book 5 (Exploration Ships); a variety of techniques are used.