[Spaceships] statting life pods and drop capsules

[Adina]

Here's a lifeboat built on a 10 ton SM+4 hull. I don't have SS4 so I extrapolated the progression down one step for everything except the Control Room. I used a cost of 10K for that. A SM+5 Control is $60K - $50k for removing the control station.

Lifesaver-Class Lifeboat (TL 10)

Front Hull

(1) Metallic Laminate Armor (DR2)
(2-5) Passenger Seats (1 passenger each)
(6) Cargo Hold (0.5 tons)
(C) Control Room (C6 computer, comm/sensor 3, no control station)

Central Hull

(1) Metallic Laminate Armor (DR2)
(2-5) Passenger Seats (1 passenger each)
(6) Soft Landing System


Rear Hull

(1) Metallic Laminate Armor (DR2)
(2-5) Passenger Seats (1 passenger each)
(6) Chemical Rocket (3G acceleration)
(C) Fuel Tank (0.5 tons rocket fuel with 0.15 mps Delta-V)

TL = 10
dST/HP = 10
Hnd/SR = 0/4
HT = 12
Move = 3G/0.15 mps
Lwt = 10
Load = 1.7
SM = +4
Occ = 12SV
dDR = 2
Cost = $119,000

[Adina]

Scaling below SM+4 gets wonky. If you look at missile weights they are roughly one SM smaller for their mass than a spaceship.

Short-term life support (i.e. Passenger seats) have a mass of 0.75 or 0.83 tons. Even allowing 0.15 tons for the passengers mass and another 0.15 tons for an acceleration couch, the life support masses 0.45 or 0.53 tons. This would probably push the commando/assault capsules up to the 3 ton/SM+3 size.

However if the troopers don't need the capsule to provide life support a one ton mass could work. After all if they are wearing some type of battlesuit that can cover life support.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by jmurrell

(6) Chemical Rocket (3G acceleration)
(C) Fuel Tank (0.5 tons rocket fuel with 0.15 mps Delta-V)

What sort of mission did you have in mind for this lifeboat? 0.15 mi./sec. is plenty of delta-v to de-orbit from a low orbit, but it might not be enough for a lifeboat on a ship on an interplanetary orbit. On the other hand the large acceleration is not much needed. High acceleration is useful in takeoff, and in combat. But in most operations delta-v is much more useful. I suggest that you put a TL10 fusion drive in this TL10 ship, perhaps even a small one with a small fuel tank. That'll give you 20 mi./sec. if delta-v (enough to get you out of the situations that TL10 spaceship operations put you in), and I doubt the low acceleration will matter.

[Adina]

Originally Posted by Brett

What sort of mission did you have in mind for this lifeboat? 0.15 mi./sec. is plenty of delta-v to de-orbit from a low orbit, but it might not be enough for a lifeboat on a ship on an interplanetary orbit. On the other hand the large acceleration is not much needed. High acceleration is useful in takeoff, and in combat. But in most operations delta-v is much more useful. I suggest that you put a TL10 fusion drive in this TL10 ship, perhaps even a small one with a small fuel tank. That'll give you 20 mi./sec. if delta-v (enough to get you out of the situations that TL10 spaceship operations put you in), and I doubt the low acceleration will matter.

This was aimed at getting down from orbit. Missed the bit about interplanetary orbits in all the talk about drop capsules.

I agree it doesn't need the high acceleration but chem rockets are cheap. As is you could build it at TL 8 or 9, the only change would be the electronics capabilities.

So for interstellar orbits it needs a fusion drive. Assuming fusion drives can scale down to 0.5 tons.

jeff