[Spaceships] Antimatter Plasma Torch fuelled by Water?

[lostrobertsandwich]

Hey guys,

Just a quick question:

The Antimatter Plasma Torch [Spaceships 1, pp.23], normally powered by Antimatter-Boosted Hydrogen, has the option to 'replace hydrogen with water (3x Thrust, 1/3 Delta-V)'.

Does this mean it can run on 'pure' water, or does it require antimatter-boosted water?

I'm trying to build a smuggler/free-trader ship as cheaply as possible for a TL10 (limited super-science) setting.

The other option, of course, is the Fusion Torch which would be more expensive to buy but cheaper to fuel (with water).

[Anthony]

Antimatter-boosted water.

[lostrobertsandwich]

Dang. That's going to hit my group in the hip pocket quite a bit.

Still, thanks for the speedy answer there;)

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Antimatter-boosted water.

How did you determine that?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

How did you determine that?

The antimatter is the enrgy source for the Antimatter Plasma Reaction Engine. No Antimatter, no go.

[Anthony]

Alternately, when it says 'replace hydrogen with water', that means you replace the word 'hydrogen'. It doesn't say "replace antimatter-boosted hydrogen with water", it says "replace hydrogen with water" (I actually went Fred Brackin's logic, but it also follows from strictly interpreting the words).

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

How did you determine that?

What? If the antimatter plasma torch did not need antimatter with water it wouldn't need antimatter with hydrogen either.

[Figleaf23]

Ah, so it's an assumption. Okay.

Does that book explain what 'anti-matter boosting' consists of?

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

Ah, so it's an assumption. Okay.

No, it's a reasonable reading of the rules.

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

Does that book explain what 'anti-matter boosting' consists of?

Yes. "Anti-matter boosting" (and "Anti-Matter Catalyzing") consists of mixing small amounts of Anti-Matter with Matter and ejecting the resulting plasma as reaction mass. The engine uses Anti-Matter to heat the reaction mass, and Hydrogen as reaction mass. If you have no Anti-Matter you have no heat, so you "no go." The Hydrogen is simply the reaction mass that is ejected, and can be replaced with other reaction mass giving the appropriate acceleration and deltaV modifications.

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

Yes. "Anti-matter boosting" (and "Anti-Matter Catalyzing") consists of mixing small amounts of Anti-Matter with Hydrogen and ejecting the resulting plasma as reaction mass. The engine uses Anti-Matter to heat the reaction mass, and Hydrogen as reaction mass. If you have no Anti-Matter you have no heat, so you "no go."

At what point are the small amounts of anti-matter mixed in? -- at a refinery or aboard the vessel?

P.S. Can you give me a page cite for that info?