Natural Starports

[thrash]

If you were approaching an unpopulated or low-tech (say, TL3 or less) alternate Earth for the first time from space, what would be the best locations for placing a Traveller-style starport? Factors I'd like to include, roughly in order of importance:

* Broad, relatively level stretch of bedrock on or near the surface, which can be converted to landing pads for high ground-pressure vessels and (eventually) runways with minimal construction.

* Long stretch of calm, protected water (bay, estuary, river) for water landings.

* Deep-water harbor, usable for anchorage without dredging and for docking with minimal dredging and filling.

* Easy access to a wide and potentially productive hinterland without requiring extensive new infrastructure (railroads, canals).

* Low incidence of bad flying weather: hurricanes, snowstorms, fog, etc.

Assume that the natives and whatever colonists eventually come will not have routine access to high techology (e.g., air/rafts) for the immediate future; TL5-6, based on TL10 science, is probably the practical limit.

[Jame]

You mean, if you were trying to build a starport on such a planet? Then what you say sounds good, including the TL 5-6 part.

One thing: access to water would likely be imperative for fuel, especially since you won't be able to build more than a C-class (Type 3) port for a while. (I would like to suggest my house rule about C/3 Class ports being able to provide some refined fuel, even given TL 5-6 technology - I'm sure there're ways to make some, though probably not much.)

[thrash]

Originally Posted by Jame

You mean, if you were trying to build a starport on such a planet?

No, dude: on Earth, as I said. I'm looking for specific example locations. I could guess New York, Yokohama, etc., but I was hoping that the Assembled Wise Ones would have some direct experience to offer.

[Shrale]

This might fit a few of your requirements

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base

or maybe Port Hueneme/Oxnard

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by thrash

If you were approaching an unpopulated or low-tech (say, TL3 or less) alternate Earth for the first time from space, what would be the best locations for placing a Traveller-style starport? Factors I'd like to include, roughly in order of importance:

* Broad, relatively level stretch of bedrock on or near the surface, which can be converted to landing pads for high ground-pressure vessels and (eventually) runways with minimal construction.

* Long stretch of calm, protected water (bay, estuary, river) for water landings.

* Deep-water harbor, usable for anchorage without dredging and for docking with minimal dredging and filling.

* Easy access to a wide and potentially productive hinterland without requiring extensive new infrastructure (railroads, canals).

* Low incidence of bad flying weather: hurricanes, snowstorms, fog, etc.

Assume that the natives and whatever colonists eventually come will not have routine access to high techology (e.g., air/rafts) for the immediate future; TL5-6, based on TL10 science, is probably the practical limit.

-------------------------------------
Lack of previous interests in the area. Uninhabited, unused, and lacking people to object to it's use in this fashion is ideal but goes against having contact with planetary trade somewhat though the considerations are not unreconcilable.
Defensibility(may go against flat-but flat land makes it easier to make artificial defenses).
Political circumstance(variation on the first consideration really)

[Jame]

Originally Posted by thrash

No, dude: on Earth, as I said. I'm looking for specific example locations. I could guess New York, Yokohama, etc., but I was hoping that the Assembled Wise Ones would have some direct experience to offer.

The Massachusetts Bay area, presuming lack of habitation. (That way when the Pilgrims arrive you can kill them off quick.)

The stuff I said earlier should help for what to build when building it, though.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Shrale

or maybe Port Hueneme/Oxnard

The harbor's deep, but the Oxnard plain is basically a mud-flat (which is why we have good soil for agriculture).

Just curious, but how does this relate to Traveller? I wasn't aware that parachronic travel was a feature of the OTU.

[thrash]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Just curious, but how does this relate to Traveller? I wasn't aware that parachronic travel was a feature of the OTU.

For now, take it as a thought-experiment with a degree of specificity. If we can agree on what places on Earth would (and would not) make good natural starports, it will be easier to visualize them on other worlds.

[Anthony]

Generally speaking, you can identify a place that would make a good starport by the trade city squatting on it in real life. I would tend to suggest a region with a Mediterranean climate and a good natural harbor, and probably an area that doesn't need extensive irrigation or air conditioning. Offhand, Alexandria, Genoa, Istanbul, New York, San Francisco, and Venice all seem like pretty good choices.

[thrash]

This is why I'm asking the question: I don't think it's quite that simple.

Originally Posted by Anthony

Offhand, Alexandria, Genoa, Istanbul, New York, San Francisco, and Venice all seem like pretty good choices.

Let's look at these examples. New York seems okay, as I noted earlier, and I don't know enough about Genoa to comment. Istanbul is one I hadn't considered before, but might work well.

Venice and Alexandria, however, are both built on mudflats. Building cities in these places required extensive preparation, and it would require as much again to build dry berths for anything as large and heavy as Traveller starships. Cairo, now -- that might be better, less the seasonal flooding.

San Francisco seems ideal in some respects (less the fog), but how much of a hinterland does it have without railroads and (especially) irrigation?