[Spaceships]/[UT] Launching life pods, drop capsules, and stealth capsules

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by Snoman314

I've posted on a similar thread recently, but in short, one option for re-entry involves gliding in. No plasma sheath, but protracted re-entry time.

Well, that sounds tactically limited compared with an assault shuttle that can land in twenty minutes, but without the plasma sheath it might at least be stealthy. What sort of numbers are we looking at for "protracted" re-entry time? What would the launch requirements be, in terms of shedding enough orbital velocity to de-orbit?

Another option is a ridiculously good thermal shield and inertial compensators to allow a steep entry. But even then, if you're hoping to have the atmosphere slow you enough to survive landing, its still going to take at least a minute or two I think.

A minute or two I can certainly live with, even as much as fifteen or twenty. One gee of deceleration (two experienced within the capsule) would be enough to shed orbital speed in under fifteen minutes in the case of Earth. I suppose that fit and well-trained drop troops might stand three gee for seven minutes and be able to operate within a minute after landing.

How steep a re-entry path are we talking about here? What is the delta-v from LEO? Do you suppose that GURPS TL10 materials would be up to the job of a 2-gee or 3-gee aerobraking re-entry?
Basically there's no quick way to re-enter in the manner you're talking about without superscience, as far as I can tell.[/QUOTE]