Repulsorlift Power Requirements

McC · Post by **McC** » 2004-03-12 03:10pm

I think this topic might've been brushed on before, but not quite in this same way. Sorry if this is a repeat!

The ICS2 states that repulsors are unpowered devices that are based around pre-manufactured subnuclear knots of space-time. Turning a vehicle off will not affect its ability to float.

Yet in every canon instance of vehicle power loss that I can recall, it does just that -- fall.

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A New Hope
No specific examples. Only instances wherein we see dedicated repulsorcraft are the Lars landspeeders. The family landspeeder doesn't appear to move at all when 3PO leaps from behind it, suggesting that it might be fixed in place. Every time Luke departs his landspeeder, it's either hastily or with intent to make a fast get away (when he hops out to catch R2 and when he hops out to see the moisture farm; when he goes to investigate the Tuskens).

Empire Strikes Back
Any time a snowspeeder is hit, it explodes and crashes into the ground. If they are indeed using ICS2-style repulsors for flight, they should simply continue forward without falling until wind resistance brings them to a halt, at which point they should continue to hover -- right? Or am I forgetting something?

The Falcon can be seen utilizing some kind of retrothrusters when landing on the Cloud City landing pad. Whether or not these are repulsor units I guess is unclear, but the Falcon certainly posesses repulsors and these were not used when it landed (presumably an instance where its power would be turned off) to simply sit in one spot.

Return of the Jedi
Jabba's sail barge, when exploding, drops to the ground. Either the repulsor system was destroyed (I can't figure out how one would actually destroy a subnuclear knot of spacetime) or the power unit on the barge stopped feeding the repulsors.

The Skiffs radically altered their bank angles whenever they were hit with laser fire from the barge, suggesting a possible power loss. Granted, this could also be a case of the momentum of the bolt angling the skiff, since it never actually fell from this, but I can't imagine why the repulsor wouldn't push it back to being level unless it were no longer powered to the level it should be.

The Phantom Menance
There are several instances of Trade Federation tanks and speeders dropping after being heavily damaged.

AOTC Novelization
Obi-Wan shorts out the assassin droid's power, which instantly causes it to start hurtling downward.

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Given the number of highest-tier canon situations wherein the ICS2's explanation of repulsor technology is shown to be potentially inaccurate, is there any way to reasonably reconcile the apparent error?

Techno_Union · Post by **Techno_Union** » 2004-03-12 03:23pm

It was my understanding that if the repulsorlisft systems were damaged they would no longer emit the anti-grav and then fall top the ground. Mabye in these instatnces the repulsorlifts were damaged. As for the knots in the space-time thing, I have never heard that. On what page is it said?

Connor MacLeod · Post by **Connor MacLeod** » 2004-03-12 03:27pm

There is nothign in the AOTC ICS saying that the subnuclear knots actually remain constantly active, insofar as I am aware. Since they are used in tractor beams as well as other devices, it can be assumed that it (and most grravitic devices for that matter) require more than just the knots to generate any sort of "force field" effect.

McC · Post by **McC** » 2004-03-12 03:51pm

ICS2, p. 3 wrote:Gravity-altering devices include repulsorlifts that alllow unpowered antigravity floatation, tractor-beam projectors for remote application of force, and acceleration compensatorsw that prevent pulverization of starship ocupants during maneuvers. The gravitoactive constituents of these devices are subnuclear knots of space-time made in enormous, unmanned power refineries encompassing black holes.

Emphasis mine.

Connor MacLeod · Post by **Connor MacLeod** » 2004-03-12 04:05pm

McC wrote:
ICS2, p. 3 wrote:Gravity-altering devices include repulsorlifts that alllow unpowered antigravity floatation, tractor-beam projectors for remote application of force, and acceleration compensatorsw that prevent pulverization of starship ocupants during maneuvers. The gravitoactive constituents of these devices are subnuclear knots of space-time made in enormous, unmanned power refineries encompassing black holes.
Emphasis mine.

So? It says nothing about them being constantly active now, does it?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-03-12 04:13pm

McC, just because they can doesn't mean that they always do.

airBiscuit · Post by **airBiscuit** » 2004-03-12 04:16pm

Not to mention:

ATOC:

Zam Wessel's speeder is damaged and crashes on the street in an entertainment district of Coruscant.

ICS aside, perhaps it would be better to speculate that the repulsor device is more akin to an electromagnet in its properties. Perhaps it's a construction of a toroidal coil or other geometry, surrounding a material that has been altered in some way to act in a mass-repellant action. Without power, it has a minimal repellant state, just like you would see with a normal magnet. Put power through the coils, and you cause an inductance which puts out a much stronger field, which can be adjusted and modulated based on how much power is put through it, giving you altitude control.

So, why do we see all of these vehicles crash?

One, the sudden power loss causes the repulsorlifts to give out, returning it to it's minimal repulsive state. This would cause a flying craft to plummet to the ground, and the base repulsive force would not be able to overcome the falling acceleration, and thus you'd crash.

Two, the effect we have seen with many of these vehicles is that the electrical systems short out, and thus could send a destructive power surge to the repulsor system, burning it out and making it completely non-functional.

Three, the physical damage to the ship also includes damage to the repulsor device(s), and thus renders it unusable.

As for the Millenium Falcon, my impression is that you were seeing the repulsor lifts in action as it made its approach. The gas jets you see at the end are it's attitude thrusters, to level the ship so it makes a graceful three-point landing. The repulsorlifts are probably not always good at keeping the ship completely level. This would require frequent recalibration of the repulsorlifts so they applied force equally.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-03-12 04:18pm

The ISC is lower tier Canon, so it overrides fan speculation of subjects it covers.

airBiscuit · Post by **airBiscuit** » 2004-03-12 04:38pm

Science fiction movies are ALWAYS open to fan speculation, regardless of what is published as a derivative afterwards. If it's not specifically pointed out in the films, then it can always be debated as to its truthfulness, especially what it represents to the fan. As you say, the books are lower-tier canon. Maybe they got the LFL rubber stamp, but it can always be contradicted later by the next product that comes out. The movies remain as is, provided a special edition or new episode doesn't change the continuity or fan perception of things.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-03-12 05:10pm

Canon > your interpretation of higher canon events

Unless it is specifically stated or explicitly clear from canon (IE that an ISD is roughly triangular, or that ISD TL's are green in color) then it's speculation. It may be good speculation, but if it contradicts canon then it's out.

airBiscuit · Post by **airBiscuit** » 2004-03-12 05:26pm

Point taken.

Sorry if it sounded like I was foisting my viewpoints in the face of canonical material. It sounded like the original poster was looking for an explanation for observed events, so I took it in a different direction other than upholding the ICS.