RAR: design a modern Thunderbird set

[madd0ct0r]

It's 2065, post WW3. The world is not densely populated, and maintains a high level of technology. You have been comssioned by an anonymous, extremely rich benefactor who wishes to set up International Rescue.

His requirements: 5 unique vehicles, capable of reaching, covering and assisting in any realistic disaster scenario, Furthermore, he would also like a limousine, pink.



What are your submissions? What five vehicles work best?

more info on the world can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbirds_(TV_series)

[Vendetta]

The pace of satellite technology means we probably don't need a manned space station any more, but otherwise I don't think the requirements change too much.

A fast VTOL with a wide range of takeoff and landing scenarios, a heavy lift and transport aircraft, some kind of reusable SSTO space vehicle, and a submersible.

Though it might also be an idea to have some kind of surfacegoing sea vessel, possibly with deep-sea exploration/recovery capabilities.

[Elheru Aran]

Perhaps substitute a large aircraft carrier of some sort for the space station, then? A bit more likely for a civilian gazillionaire to have one of those built than a space station!

[Vendetta]

What are you going to use an aircraft carrier for though, given that your primary air mobile asset is a hypersonic VTOL with apparently infinite range.

To fit the International Rescue mission profile, some kind of deep sea explorer/salvage vessel is more useful.

[Elheru Aran]

Well. Mobile base of some sort, I suppose? It could do the salvage thing too. Something like the Glomar Explorer with a flight deck, or even just a couple of helicopter pads. It makes some sense from a diplomatic standpoint too-- with a ship as your base you can stay in international waters and not be on anybody's side.

Of course, if you've got the money to build a Thunderbird team, you probably have the money to just buy a small island of your own. That might be more efficient in the long run. Who knows.

[Vendetta]

Yeah, the original Thunderbirds base is a private island. I was assuming that would be the same.

(Bearing in mind that the original Thunderbird 2 hits about mach 6.5, and Thunderbird 1 makes mach 19.5, and they both have nuclear engines and so are less restricted by fuel issues, so that's a baseline for capability)

[Bedlam]

Well depending on the technology in 2065 then the multiple pods of TB2 might not be needed. Maybe it could just have some sort of super 3D printer and lots of feedstock for it and anything needed could be manufactured in flight or on site once it arrived.

I can still see the requirement for TB1 though the printer (or it's supplies) would still probably be too large to fit in a fast craft but it might be more common for both of them to set out together and TB1 to give instructions to TB2 as to what is needed while it's in flight rather than before it takes off.

There might be more automated or telepresence equipment used to keep the brothers safe when on disaster sites.

[madd0ct0r]

That explains why TB1 is so big, I've always wondered.

TB1 keeps it's role as scram jet, first to to the scene. I'd give it a couple of limpet drones so it can conduct search and rescue patterns efficiently.

TB2 keeps its role as heavy lifter of specialised equipment. It's perfect really

Let's see. I'm not sure with TB5 not being a space station that TB3 being space capable is strictly necessary. It does have a couple of resuce missions, though. If there are people in space, (habitats?) then let's go skylon. If not, see below.

TB4 could be a larger long distance capable submarine, possibly with fold out hydrofoils to let it surface skim for better speed. Something capable of deploying smaller search and rescue subs, but also capable of towing ships and, collecting life rafts and deploying lift bags to aid a sinking vessel. There's a USN craft called the Sentinel that can allegedly do 200 knots in the series.

TB5 - I'd like to keep it's role in support and communications. Perhaps it stays airborne, covering the area around the rescue mission. It's specific role is data collection, analysis and providing crisis management, and crisis communications management (making sure it's brothers don't get shot down by the military, for example). While TB1 and TB2 are running around fixing the immediate problem, TB5's job is to identify and prevent the longer term problems from even happening. By the time the country's disaster response teams start to arrive, TB5 can provide them with detailed maps of the area, possible further risk sites - such as gas mains, a list of persons missing, found, likely supplies needed ect. Throw in some fabbing equipment, and TB5 can design and make specialist extra bits (beacons, emergency housing) or attachments to TB2's vehicles.

What about TB3? If we've turned our backs on space, then I can see a much better role as a combined firefly/mole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_2_pod_vehicles There are huge walkers already in the series (the US military's sidewinder for example), and a large number of the episodes relate to rescue in an urban enviroment. I'm sort of imagining a giant wasp with a drill tip sting and dozens of excavator arms. I can't see a way for it to be fast enough though, unless it hitches a ride in TB2.

also, while researching, as well as TB1 and 2 being nucelar powered, there's an atomic powered logging machine and a road builder that clears mountains by firing nukes at them!

[InsaneTD]

What would you do with the printed equipment once you finished with it though? Things like rope, ladders, you could print as needed and just leave behind, but these guys regularly used heavy digging equipment that would make miners green with envy. Just the cost in materials would make that unfeasible. I do see them having a couple 3D printers though. Being able to print spares and things you wouldn't typically keep a lot of is just to useful. They also had firefighting gear most firefighters would want.

Personally, I'd set up several teams with specializations, and move them around the world as needed, two would be forest fire experts, moving between north and south hemispheres during the summers. Have a cave in crew for mining/tunneling accidents and then two deep sea search/rescue/recovery/salvage crews, one based in the Atlantic, one based in the Pacific. Probably work with research teams when not needed. I'd also be selling the specialised digging and rescue equipment, most rescue agencies are pretty well funded and know what they are doing. It's the really rare and specialised jobs you need teams for.

[Vanas]

Here's some fun facts from the Thunderbirds Haynes manual for what you're up against:

Thunderbird 1:
Length: 115 feet
Weight: 140 tons
Max Speed: 15000mph
Max Altitude: 150000 feet
Range: Unlimited(!)
Powered by nuclear fusion
VTOL capable
Stealth: MIDAS - 'A force field capable of cloaking the craft against radar and providing a barrier against air pressure', digital and magnetic camera wipers.
Other stuff: It carries a drone camera, some hover scooters, a cannon, and the convenient mobile desk for looking busy while waiting for the useful Thunderbird to turn up.

Thunderbird 2:
Length: 250 feet
Weight: 406 tons + 100t payload (maximum)
Max Speed: 5000mph (2000mph cruising speed)
Max Altitude: 100000 feet
Range: Unlimited(!)
Powered by nuclear fusion
VTOL capable
Stealth: MIDAS + digital and magnetic camera wipers.
Other stuff: Oh wow. Yeah, if you need to know about any of these just ask.

Thunderbird 3:
Length: 287 feet
Weight: 562 tons
Max Speed: c or near enough given enough time
Standard Acceleration: 1g
Max Sustained Acceleration: 6g
Emergency Acceleration: 10g
Range: Unlimited(!)
Powered by nuclear fusion
VTOL capable
Stealth: MIDAS
Other stuff: It's powered in space by ion drives. Apparently seriously powerful ion drives. I can't find anything about consumables. Oh, it has artificial gravity too.

Thunderbird 4:
Length: 30 feet
Weight: 16 tons
Max Speed: 160kts (submerged)
Surface Cruising Speed: 40kts.
Maximum Depth: 30000 feet
Powered by nuclear fusion
Stealth: None beyond the fact it's a submarine
Other stuff: Torpedoes, drills, suction cups, grabby arm things, laser cutters.

It really occurs that they might as well contact WASP and try to borrow the far faster Stingray one day.

Thunderbird 5:
Length: 400 feet (main body 296ft in diameter)
Weight: 976 tons
Powered by 'atomic batteries'
Stealth: MIDAS
Other stuff: Artificial Gravity. Suck it, physics. Huge translation databank and voice analysers to make sure that only genuine calls are routed through. Crew changes every month, presumably consumables last longer than that.
It occurs that that might be the reason they keep getting missions to rescue about 3 people.

Finally, all are constructed out of pure bullshittium cahelium, some kind of hyper-advanced lightweight super tough handwavium alloy

I think that really, the most important thing are the vehicles inside TB2. They're usually the really important things. Are we looking to replace those as well?

[madd0ct0r]

if you can come up with a better approach, such as a single swarm like vehicle that handle multiple scenarios then go for it. There is some seriously odd stuff in there like tractor beam equipment and gravitonic films

[Starglider]

Obviously TB-1 would be upgraded to a full-blown spaceplane, TB-2 would be a bulky cargo SSTO spaceship, TB-3 would not need to be another spaceship so could be an armored ground/underground crawler instead, TB-4 would be much bigger for more gadget space, and all of them could combine into a super-rescue-vehicle.

[biostem]

I set things up like this:

1. A very fast VTOL-capable craft for scouting and as a first responder. It should have at least a few stretchers, basic irst aid supplies, and a sensor suite able to detect things like radiation, see through smoke, and so on. Perhaps give this craft some rudimentary fire suppression gear, (like foam dispensers or a way to cut out fire breaks).

2. A mobile hospital w/ the ability to receive conventional rescue craft - like helicopters and maybe even a winch system to lift small boats/lifeboats/rafts. This craft should also have a large storage area well-stocked with medical supplies, as well as several isolation chambers/quarantine rooms, decontamination rooms, and pressure chambers. A few clean/operating rooms are a must, as well as basic amenities like a mes shall to feed those on board, and at least many bunks with curtains so people can rest, etc.

3. An armored craft which acts as a heavy construction vehicle - able to erect emergency barricades/walls to ad in flood scenarios, as well as a way to stabilize things like collapsing buildings/landslides/etc. It should have a self contained life support system in case it is aiding in areas with high radioactivity, noxious fumes, or other hazardous conditions. It should also have an airlock and holding area, so as to accept survivors - maybe even have some folding stretchers and basic first aid or ambulance-like resources on board. It should be capable of operating under water for short periods of time, and perhaps have limited VTOL capability to flee a site if it becomes unstable. High temperature tolerance and a suite of sensors for search & rescue in zero-visibility situations is a must.

4. A submersible capable of diving extremely deep, plus capable of accepting divers and small vessels, (or docking w. larger ones), while under water. It would be useful for said vehicle to have power manipulator arms, in case something like a sunken vessel needs to be moved or cut into, (a system for affixing a hatch w/ airlock onto an object, without flooding it, would be a big plus).

5. A craft able to reach high orbit, and equipped with both a cargo bay and manipulator arms, so as to launch satellites, retrieve satellites, and dock with other craft or space stations.