message 0618

• What kind of drive do Cherryh's spaceships have?

;From: Jo Jaquinta <jaymin@maths.tcd.ie>
;Subject: Cherryhlist/riderships
;Date: Wed, 13 Oct 93 17:16:09 BST

Onno discusses riderships:
>2) The "dump" and "boost" of realspace velocity using the jumpdrive
>   or a subset of the jumpdrive. This is instantaneous.

I'm pro #2. Let me conjecture:

>"Just the flat saucer shape. Manta shape, the blue-skyers called it."
>HB52 No vanes on a rider. Drive 2) uses the vanes.
	One can assume that the optimal configuration for the vanes
of an interstellar ship is wide-spread in order to best project the
jump field. We already know from the refitting of The Pride that the
area (# of panels) to mass ratio is crucial.
	This is a jump configuration optimal for sending large masses
through the Deep between stars. It is a related, although secondary
function, that allows the ships to boost and dump.
	What does a manta look like? It's got two big wings either
side. Perhaps this is the optimal configuration for the panels when
interstellar jumping is not required.

>"... trusting that realspace ships, launched like missiles, with more
>firepower than ability to maneuver at v,..." HB52 A rider has less 
>maneuverabilitiy than drive 2) would give.
	Drive 2) isn't particularly maneuverable. It can slow you
down quickly or speed you up quickly but only the knnn can use it
for inter-course maneuvers.

>"Pulse of the main engines. ... Second pulse, high-g RO, intermittent
>accel ..." HB325 Drive 2) doesn't produce high-g. The rider engine
>makes two short, high-g bursts.
	I have difficulty beleiving in a completely inertialess system.
Inertially damped, yes. Thus the massive acceleration/deceleration of
drive 2) is damped down to just high-g. Are they any instances where
a ship dumps without everyone strapped down?

			Jo