physics vs. ST

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2002-12-12 07:59pm

It wasn't traveling at warp, so I don't really see a reason why the mass-lightening field would be active.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2002-12-12 08:16pm

I always wondered how the X-Wings and such were able to turn without having smaller rockets on the sides or whatnot. Maybe it's some sort of technology similar to repulsorlifts at work? But repulsorlifts need mass around them for them to work, don't they? ....beats me.

data_link · Post by **data_link** » 2002-12-13 12:43am

IRG CommandoJoe wrote:I always wondered how the X-Wings and such were able to turn without having smaller rockets on the sides or whatnot. Maybe it's some sort of technology similar to repulsorlifts at work? But repulsorlifts need mass around them for them to work, don't they? ....beats me.

Screw that, just tell me why their engines have to be on to travel at a constant speed.

Enlightenment · Post by **Enlightenment** » 2002-12-13 12:53am

innerbrat wrote:All this is why I hate it when people call ST Science Fiction.
Science my arse. It's a space opera.

Whatever did the likes of Iain Banks and EE 'Doc' Smith do to piss you off so much that you dropped Star Drek in the same category as the Culture and Lensman series? Star Drek is--at best--space fantasy. And that's being generous.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2002-12-13 12:55am

data_link wrote:
IRG CommandoJoe wrote:I always wondered how the X-Wings and such were able to turn without having smaller rockets on the sides or whatnot. Maybe it's some sort of technology similar to repulsorlifts at work? But repulsorlifts need mass around them for them to work, don't they? ....beats me.
Screw that, just tell me why their engines have to be on to travel at a constant speed.

If you're referring to orbitting Yavin, it's because when you travel in a circular path at uniform velocity, you are constantly accelerating.

Darth Yoshi · Post by **Darth Yoshi** » 2002-12-13 01:15am

Maybe the X-wing engines have a "coast" mode which is visually identical to the actual thrust mode. Far-fetched, but it's the best I could think of.

And welcome to SD.net, mudmunkey. Don't be ass and you'll survive. *chucks egg*

data_link · Post by **data_link** » 2002-12-13 01:47am

Durandal wrote:
data_link wrote:
IRG CommandoJoe wrote:I always wondered how the X-Wings and such were able to turn without having smaller rockets on the sides or whatnot. Maybe it's some sort of technology similar to repulsorlifts at work? But repulsorlifts need mass around them for them to work, don't they? ....beats me.
Screw that, just tell me why their engines have to be on to travel at a constant speed.
If you're referring to orbitting Yavin, it's because when you travel in a circular path at uniform velocity, you are constantly accelerating.

No, actually I'm referring to the fact that at NO time during the movies do you ever see a "moving" (in quotes because all velocity is relative) ship without it's rear engines glowing, with the sole exception of the Mellinium Falcon floating in the garbage of the ISD. This is true even when no acceleration is taking place, see the DS trench run for some examples (or look at the ISD's in the asteroid field in ESB, although we were talking about X-wings). More proof that Star Wars uses an atmospheric flight model, just like every other Sci-fi with the exception of B5 and I-war (and a couple of less known others).

Oh, and you don't need your engines to orbit - the acceleration is caused by gravity, not engine thrust. I'll assume that this was a brain fart.