WIP Discussion (Part 1!)

[Krulle]

Windows in spacecraft are purely for the mental health of the ones riding inside.

Hell, modern commercial airliners have cockpit windows more for the personal benefit and emergency procedures than for actual use.
Most aircraft can land by instruments alone, and the cockpit window is a visual help for the pilot to ascertain that his instruments are right.

Once you transport passengers in spacecraft, it will likely be better to install large screens in a wall showing the outside world from a camera view.
That way you can switch off the screens or show something else in case the spacecraft does get into a dangerous area, to keep the people on board quiet and delay/prevent the outburst of a panic....

Anyway, thanks for the images. Never thought about finding X15 or spaceshuttle pics. But also never imagined them otherwise.
The sojus capsules are also a tight fit. It's all about the ride, and not the vehicle. Even less about the pilot.
The pilot gets trained to overcome his claustrophobia to be able to ride these vehicles.

[SVlad]

If a space craft cancelled it's orbital velocity and fell straight down, it would accelerate at close to 9.8 m/s until it reached parts of the lower atmosphere (between 5000 and 1000 meters on Earth, depending on aerodynamics) where it would decelerate rapidly. Objects entering the atmosphere at steep angles tend to follow a logistic function of deceleration, with around 90% of the deceleration happening in as little as 10 seconds, even for objects moving at orbital speeds. 12g is certainly survivable, but it isn't negligible.

It's strange but I get different numbers. Just a free fall from zero orbital velocity and 100km altitude down to 40km would accelerate plane only up to 3 mach (around 1100 m/s). And IRL supersonic planes can flight at this altitude. So I see no reasons for this highlander to fall further in dense layers down to 5 km instead of transition to a horizontal flight and graceful deceleration.
PS
Although this chart of Space Shuttle reentry shows, that it start decelerate from 6 km/s at 70 km and ends with 1 km/s at 35 km.

[icekatze]

hi hi

For reference. Some windows on the concord supersonic airplane:

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The cockpit of the SR-71 Blackbird, which were considered an engineering feat at the time.

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[Quazel]

Topic Shift!

The new NASA Starliner spacesuits look pretty nifty!
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-spaces ... astronauts

[ShadowDragon8685]

Topic Shift!

The new NASA Starliner spacesuits look pretty nifty!
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-spaces ... astronauts

It's 2017. I thought they were going to be rolling out mechanically-pressurized suits that kept the astronaut's skin at a reasonable pressure without using gas?

Still, these look considerably better than the old suits.

[Karst45]

Those support beams seem to block visibility pretty badly...

But honestly, in the vastness of space... visual navigation is mostly worthless, most navigation is done via the sensor returns.

which make me wonder why do they need a cockpit anyway, it just one vulnerability... but then it a ferry craft...

[Karst45]

That new cockpit is real amasing... send your CV to Robert Space industrie

[RedDwarfIV]

Those support beams seem to block visibility pretty badly...

I imagine the pilots could wear augmented reality helmets/visors to allow them to see 'through' the shuttle, so a good window may not be necessary. We can already do this now: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19372299

Also, those three circular knobs on the centre console remind me of the fan/heater controls in my Mum's previous car.

[Hālian]

The word on the screen at right is besos; on the door, lastenras.

I also wonder what the symbol on the door means.

[ShadowDragon8685]

The word on the screen at right is besos; on the door, lastenras.

I also wonder what the symbol on the door means.

I'm fairly confident it means "here be the shitter". That, or it's a Loroi symbol for EVA/internals storage. I'm quite confident it's either the head, or storage for emergency/extravehicular atmospherics gear.

[Krulle]

lastenras already sounds like "latrine"....

Anyway, the symbol made it look like a drop of blood to me, so I thought that that would be the toilet for PMS-girls.
But that may just be my brain....

Another great image.
Looks like the next page creeps closer!
(BTW: tomorrow! it should come tomorrow! (Or tonight, as it's still Monday here - just to avoid having more than one year between pages))

[GeoModder]

The word on the screen at right is besos; on the door, lastenras.

I'm reading lastenris?

The "C" curve of the prelast letter looks more closed then the Trade letter "A" is.

I've forgotten there was so much space between the control chairs and the passengers cabin. One could almost place a bed in it.

[cacambo43]

Yeah. That is a bit of an obstructed view, isn't it?

Nice rendering, in any case, Arioch!

CJSF

[icekatze]

hi hi

Considering they have the range (as much as range counts in space) for cross system transfers, they might actually want to unfold a bed/cot in there. Although I tend to get the feeling that when a Captain has their own personal shuttle, they tend to get used because they have a high opinion of their time and want to arrive as quickly as possible.

Granted, Stillstorm doesn't seem to make use of her shuttle in the normal way, having converted it to carry cargo instead. I get the feeling she isn't your average Captain in a number of different ways.

[Krulle]

One year without a new page!

(page 112 has been published on 4 April 2016 [1])

At least the WIP indicates new stuff coming up. YAY!

[sunphoenix]

Again... Beautiful Arioch.. just beautiful!

[Chekist_Felix]

Ha! Dis is gonna be good~

[icekatze]

hi hi

Oh yeah... Alex still doesn't know about the Loroi taboo on physical contact. He noticed that no one moved to help him in the lift, but nobody has actually explained it to him yet. Yay, more opportunities for weird human customs and traditions!

[Krulle]

Our beloved author posted even more:

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These are concepts from chapter 3.

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(spoilers added due to image size)

So indeed, social awkwardness ensues.


I am also hyped to see that work is progressing in Chapter three! Character studies are the start.

[sunphoenix]

How cute! I love the "Deer in the Headlights" reaction.. Alex gets out of his Loroi hosts! It like they are always wondering ~ 'Is he initiating some alien Human mating ritual.. should I smile or drag him into some dark corner for a while?'

LOLS! This IS going to be epic!