@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

isaackuo

@isaackuo@spacey.space

Been around rec.arts.sf.science, BAUT (aka CosmoQuest), Google Plus, sfconsim-l, and other places ...

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

cstross, to random
@cstross@wandering.shop avatar

New blog entry: On mistaking a transient state for a permanent one: https://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2024/05/on-mistaking-a-transient-state.html

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@cstross

What you're suggesting pretty much can't be done, in terms of orbital mechanics. In order to achieve global coverage from LEO satellites, they need to be in a bunch of different orbital planes.

(And also, in LEO it takes a lot of fuel to do orbital plane changes.)

So that means it's impossible for a Starship upper stage to pick up more than a few of them for return.

It makes more fiscal sense to just let them burn up in the atmosphere and let others pay the externalities.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@cstross

The ion thrusters on Starlink satellites definitely have better performance than typical satellite thrusters, but even so ... it takes a lot of delta-v to do plane changes in LEO.

It could take much less delta-v to move up to a graveyard orbit (where atmospheric drag is negligible).

nyrath, to random
@nyrath@spacey.space avatar

Horizontal running inside circular walls of Moon settlements: a comprehensive countermeasure for low-gravity deconditioning?

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231906

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@maxthyme @nyrath

Worth noting that this was done in space, at zero gee rather than low gee. Skylab had a circular track made of small cabinets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiMq-fdRhLo

tkinias, to random
@tkinias@historians.social avatar

Every so often I’ll think about the U.S. defense budget (around $880bn this year), and wonder where we’d be with power technology if even one percent of that money every year had been invested in fusion research. That would fund an ITER-scale project every two to three years.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@tkinias

I can't say I'm optimistic that it would have led to any sort of fusion power, but it could have encouraged more people to go into physics knowing there was a well funded jobs program for it.

Also, it's possible we might have a spinoff technology to show for it all.

For example, the VASIMR thruster that has been going nowhere for two decades was a spinoff from MCF research.

Maybe we could also have a Z-pinch spinoff thruster and a pulsed laser thruster going nowhere for decades.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@tkinias

I think that fusion research physicists actually have a pretty realistic idea of what the money would likely result in, but they know this won't get them the funding.

So, if this money isn't wasted of fusion research, I expect it would be wasted on some other field which is 2nd best at making duplicitous promises. Maybe solar freakin roadways.

The challenge is to figure out how to design and maintain a system that can disincentivize the B.S.

nyrath, to random
@nyrath@spacey.space avatar

https://hackaday.com/2024/04/25/the-myth-of-propellantless-space-propulsion-refuses-to-die/

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@Hcobb @nyrath

Hmm ... Dean Drive and also Eric Laithwaite ...

Somewhere around 1960?

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@Aaron_DeVries @nyrath

There are also weird possibilities related to neutrinos, dark matter, and/or dark energy.

nyquildotorg, to random
@nyquildotorg@fedia.social avatar

The confusion stems largely from the choice of name and description, but the NES Zapper wasn't actually a "light gun." It was maybe as far from a light gun as I think possible: the light didn't come out of the gun, it went into it.

Sharks, I'm seeking $300 million dollars for a 29% share in my company working to do the same thing with actual guns. Instead of shooting lead, we capture lead fired at it, moving the $28 billion dollar American firearm industry even closer to sustainability in the long term.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@nyquildotorg

I'm guessing you haven't seen the movie Tenet.

Non-spoilers, since it's near the start of the movie - it has guns that suck in bullets.

nyrath, to random
@nyrath@spacey.space avatar

https://gizmodo.com/darpa-new-12-ton-robot-tank-glowing-green-eyes-vehicle-1851432307

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@nyrath

Green = it's on and in autonomy mode

Red = it's on and in Skynet mode

(Why do we even have that mode?)

Hcobb, to random
@Hcobb@spacey.space avatar

The first rule of Space Vikings is that ships are faster than information.
Otherwise you're battling not raiding.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@Hcobb

Another approach was used in Legend of the Galactic Heroes - remove all resources from the frontier worlds, so the liberators have nothing to liberate (other than hungry locals).

This strategy would have been political disaster for the Democratic side, but for the Imperials the locals simply had no realistic choice but to comply.

1/2

@eldadoinquieto @nyrath @peterdrake

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@Hcobb

If transport costs make it impractical to hoover all the resources from frontier worlds, an alternative is to torch the resources rather than let them be plundered.

The resources are stored with "self destruct" flame throwing and/or flooding systems. So, the raiders can't steal the resources.

Of course, if you compensate the victims when the burn system is activated, this sets up perverse incentives to game the system ...

2/2

@eldadoinquieto @nyrath @peterdrake

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@Robert_Brandt

The bribe has to be significantly cheaper, because it funds the continued operations of the space horde - making it easier for them to do it again, and also incentivizing them to do so.

In contrast, military action depletes resources from the space horde and incentivizes them to do something else or go elsewhere.

Of course, it's also possible to use a bribe to buy some time, to build up a more credible deterrent. It's not a binary.

@Hcobb @eldadoinquieto @nyrath @peterdrake

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@Robert_Brandt

A non-military deterrent might be possible. I mentioned the idea of threatening to burn stored resources rather than allow them to be plundered.

Various difficulties like getting local buy-in to the strategy are left as an exercise for the players.

@Hcobb @eldadoinquieto @nyrath @peterdrake

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@Hcobb

This is why you use remote detonated mini squash head warheads.

First you shoot the squishy sticky squash heads at the target. Then you designate one to detonate (it has flashing LED to indicate it's the one primed to detonate).

Then you remote command it to go boom, mitigating collateral damage.

@eldadoinquieto @Robert_Brandt @nyrath @peterdrake

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@nyrath

In the meantime Matt Murdoch is running around lasing everyone and everything everywhere like a madman, maniacally laughing.

@Robert_Brandt @Hcobb @eldadoinquieto @peterdrake

Binder, to random
@Binder@petrous.vislae.town avatar

When you’re formulating an emergency response to an incursion of Draculas, make sure to invite all the stakeholders

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@Binder

"You forgot to invite me."

"You're a stakeholder?"

"Vy yes, of course."

"Well, then I invi-- waitaminute."

androidarts, to random
@androidarts@mastodon.gamedev.place avatar

Ogre variants, haphazard sizes with some calculations. When it comes to soil mechanics, apparently it really helps for tanks to have malleable treads, with suspension and such, so I gave mine 6 tilt-able track modules with 4 tracks each. Even so, pressure is more than 2x that of a modern tank. Possibly an Ogre might need rockets or even nukes for glassing terrain to get out of situations.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@androidarts

The tracks are so inaccessible that it's hard to imagine how to accomplish any track maintenance.

Hmm ... maybe each track module could have just two tracks, so they're accessible when removed individually. Each module has perhaps 8 airbags on top, which fit into dents in the underside of the Ogre when inflated.

When deflated, though, the module can simply drive itself out from underneath the Ogre. Thus, they can be worked on and the tracks to either side are accessible.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@androidarts

I've gone all in on the ground based Orion drive concept. No tracks. Just a smooth flat bottom boat underside, and a sturdy slab rear side. Propulsion is strictly via exploding nukes to the rear.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@androidarts

If you're serious about not wanting to get stuck, consider alternatives to tracks.

For example, you could use maglev feet. Each foot is an aluminum sheet with four small holes for lift fans. These fans allow a foot to fly in front of the Ogre.

The underside of the Ogre has coils to magnetically push the feet. After the Ogre glides past a foot, it can fly itself in front of the Ogre.

Point is ... quadrotor flight means a foot rarely gets stuck.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@androidarts

Hmm ... another track alternative could be inspired by bristlebots. I'll call them "bristlefeet".

Underneath the Ogre are a bunch of circular "bristlefeet". The bottom of the foot has a bunch of overlapping scales with jagged edges like shark skin. They catch like claws one way, or slip smooth the other way.

Rotating it back and forth propels it. Since the feet independently steer to any direction, the Ogre can move any direction.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@androidarts @nyrath

You could use the Medusa approach - a big parachute far above the Ogre, so a nuke detonating underneath the chute pushes the chute upward without significantly pushing the Ogre downward.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@fnordius @androidarts @nyrath

The Ogre's spire would make it land at worst on its side. And then the secondary cannon barrels can tilt it just enough to get it to fall over upright.

isaackuo, to Ukraine
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

Caltrops are back, now dropped by drone.

They immobilize supply trucks, making them sitting ducks for drone bombers.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2024/04/12/ukraine-teams-ancient-and-modern-weapons-to-stop-russian-trucks/

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@swope @synlogic

You can stack twisted bow ties, like Pringles, in long boxes, though.

I think tooling to do the twist might be a bit fiddly, though.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@synlogic @swope

I'm not sure what design you're talking about. There are several different types of caltrop shown in the story, including the one pictured ...

They all have a tetrahedral arrangement of four points. Thus, they come to rest with three points on the ground and one point jutting upward.

isaackuo,
@isaackuo@spacey.space avatar

@synlogic @swope

The one in the photo is made out of 2 triangle plates, but it is indeed a tetrahedral type that always has one point jutting upward and three points on the ground.

The two triangles are the same shape, with a slot cut into one point. It's 45-45-90, with the slot cut into the 90 degree corner. Then they are inserted into each other, slot-to-slot; friction fit.

The four 45 degree corners become the points of a tetrahedron.

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