If you’re not already familiar with “hard” science fiction from Atomic Rockets and Tough SF, this “Because Science” video on the truth about space war serves as a light introduction:
If you’re not already familiar with “hard” science fiction from Atomic Rockets and Tough SF, this “Because Science” video on the truth about space war serves as a light introduction:
Posted in Media, Science | 4 Comments »
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This is one of my theories. Heat management is the central advanced problem. In almost all domains.
Spaceships and mammals need radiators.
The Mote in God’s Eye, despite fictional “Langston fields”, has quite realistic heat management, positioning etc. Over in big-eye animation, “Starship Operators” has a minimum of fictional physics and has ships melt during battle through overheating. Another realistic touch is that turns (i.e. changing the direction of your velocity) are difficult in space if your ship is moving — on the same order as stopping and starting again — and this fact can be used to box in enemy vessels. “Starship Operators” final battle features this kind of set-up. However, because space is three-dimensional, it is much easier to evade engagement and much more difficult to force one on your opponent.
John Sandford and Ctein’s excellent Saturn Run USS Richard Nixon has the best radiators in SF spaceships yet. Good puff from Larry Niven, and it earned it — it’s like a good Niven-Pournelle from the eighties.