![]() Other scenarios will be addressed, but will be clearly noted as such. Third, the default scenario, unless otherwise noted, is deep-space combat between two fleets. Claiming that this justifies humans is like claiming that because warships sometimes run aground, we should install huge external tires on all of them to help get them off.” Second, no attempt will be made to include the effects of aliens or alien technology, because to do so would be sheer uninformed speculation. Picking highly unlikely and specific sets of circumstances under which they are not optimal is best answered with a quote from the author about one such scenario, posting on the 2 Rocketpunk Manifesto topic Space Warfare XIII: “You need a blockade, a hijacking (innocents aboard a vessel trying to break the blockade), and a high-thrust booster on the hijacked ship. They are instead what the author believes would be best for a realistic military based on the likely missions and constraints. ![]() The recommendations made are not optimal for all circumstances, nor is such a thing possible. Any scenario that is dependent on a one-shot tactic or highly specific circumstance will likely not be included, except during the discussion of the beginnings of space warfare, or to demonstrate why it is impractical in the long run. However, it will make no attempt to examine all of them, and the scenarios described will conform to several principles. Environment: This paper will attempt to examine a wide variety of environments in which space combat might occur. This term (coined by Rick Robinson) is difficult to define, but it assumes significant improvements in technologies we have today, such as nuclear-electric drives, fading into those we don’t, such as fusion torches. A common term used to describe this era is PMF, which stands for Plausible Mid-Future. ![]() The paper will examine a spectrum of technology backgrounds, but will focus on near to mid-future scenarios, where the general performance and operation of the technology can be predicted with at least a little accuracy. If a system is physically plausible, the engineering details can be ignored, or at most subject to only minor scrutiny. Technology: The technological background is less constrained. The only exception is FTL, which will be included in some scenarios. Thermodynamics dictate that all spacecraft must radiate waste heat, and lasers obey diffraction. ![]() This means that spacecraft move in a Newtonian (or Einsteinian, though this realm is outside the scope of the paper) manner, using reaction drives or other physically-plausible systems (such as solar sails) for propulsion. Physical laws: The laws of physics as we know them still apply. Basic Assumptions: This paper was written using the following assumptions as a baseline. There is no set update plan, so sections may change without notice. At the moment, this paper is still a work in progress, and will be updated as I have time and get new information. The last goal is to delve deeper into various topics, both mathematically and through outside research. Another part is to serve as sort of an FAQ, instead of having to explain the same thing repeatedly (space fighters and stealth spring to mind here). Partially, this is to centralize the ideas so that people don’t have to wade through hundreds of comments to find them. This paper is intended to collect the various ideas that have been brought up during the course of the various blog posts and the comment threads that follow them. The author has been involved in the online space warfare community for over two years, and during that time has read and written extensively on various topics, mostly on Rick Robinson’s blog, Rocketpunk Manifesto. Space Warfare Paper.docx - Byron Coffey Please enable JavaScript to view the full PDFĬontents Preface 2 Section 1: Space Fighters 4 Section 2: Unmanned Warcraft 12 Section 3: Stealth in space 18 Section 4: Surface Defense 22 Section 5: Fleets and Scenarios 33 Section 6: Orbital Mechanics and Warfare 39 Section 7: Laser Weapons 49 Section 8: Kinetic Weapons 60 Section 9: Other Weapons 75 Section 10: Armor, Damage and Survivability 79 Section 11: Operation Short of War 84 Section 12: Planetary Invasion 95 Section 13: Origins 117 Section 14: Spacecraft Design 128 Section 15: Sci-Fi Tropes 137 1 Preface This paper is intended to be a survey of the current state of knowledge in theoretical space warfare.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |