Editing FederalSpace:Technology (section)

==== Commentary ====

'''MadDogMike:''' For photon torpedoes, I'm assuming they're probably the modern version of the transporter ortillery. An FTL-speed weapon would be quite helpful in most space engagements, though sensors are probably still light speed so you have to think ahead to know where to place long-range weapons fire (and thus can miss). One thought is wondering what happens when the warp bubble of the torp hits the warp bubble of a ship. If it collapses both, torps could work as a way to stop people from fleeing easily or ambushing other ships; maybe have "non-lethal" torps that skip the warhead part and just stop a fleeing ship or one flying out of control, while warhead versions detach a second stage missile when they hit the target's warp bubble that goes in and hits them. Counter-torps would also be a possibility, knocking out incoming torpedo warp bubbles with their own. Not sure how it'd fit in with transporter jamming, unless maybe non-planetary based versions aren't perfect.

'''Shadowjack:''' Torpedoes to disrupt warp bubbles is exactly the way I've been thinking, but I hadn't considered teleport attacks… it seems to me like the transporter always takes lots of time to set up, more time than would make for effective weapons fire. On the other hand, artillery is pretty slow, too… You'd have to drop a lot of warheads, though, wouldn't you?


'''gc3:''' In Federal space, do they now put seatbelts on the bridge seats? I always wondered why the Enterprise crew had to grab onto things whenever the ship shook.

'''Shadowjack:''' Since I don't seem to have inertial dampers in this setting, yes, definitely. Probably crash helmets, too, come to think of it (which can seal in case of atmosphere loss). People who need to move about the ship wear padded suits. Since I see actual combat as short and intense—we've seen how powerful those weapons are!—punctuated by long periods of maneuver and repair, this ain't so bad. Suit up for the contact, and if you're still alive, get back to work. 


'''JRM:''' While it's true that it's virtually impossible to hide a spaceship from real-space sensors, because there's nothing to hide in in space, this does not entirely preclude "submarine warfare in space" stories in your proposed setting so long as it's ''FTL'' submarine warfare in space.

If the Romulan Warbird can hit you with a FTL torpedo several minutes or hours before the light from its current position reaches you to register on your real-space sensors, its low warp drive signature will become very important tactically.

The warbird's effectively invisible to enemy ship's realspace sensors because its stutterwarp allows it to be somewhere else ''before'' they see it.

'''Shadowjack:''' Got it in one! And succintly explains why system defense forces ''hate'' facing off against warpships…



'''Scarik:''' THe engines are what you detect, but if you power down its not hard at all to remain hidden. Even with today's tech we are very close to creating an effective cloaking device for atmospheric craft, namely fighter jets.

Since everything in space is line of sight it wouldn't be too hard to only hit your engines when you were behind a planet and effectively coast to your next hiding spot. If you have decent ECCM and a low signature you would be harder to see than an asteroid.

THe other Example would be pseudo-velocity, which is not inconsistent with current physics. Our current hyper-inflationary theory rests on space being able to expand faster than the speed of light, so an engine that allows an object to do that could easily count as a cloaking device. 

The enemy would detect your engine emissions long after you had left that location and would give you an effect much like the cloaking device. You know they are out there, but where is anyone's guess.

'''Shadowjack:''' Quantum starship detection? You can pin down where they are, or you can pin down their velocity, but you can't get both at once?



'''Mr Teufel''': Scarik, I'm afraid you're wrong. The reason stealth is practically impossible is because most of your spaceship has to be kept around 273 degrees Kelvin, yet space is 2' Kelvin. Fighter planes may be cloaked, but versus active radar.

'''Mapache:''' No, that just means you can't stay cloaked indefinitely. In the mean time, you just need an enormous internal heatsink that soaks up your emissions. Once it's full, then you're unmasked (though your heat signature is only visible at the speed of light, which is notable, if there's FTL travel going on). This leads to having limited stealth capabilities you need to use tactically, then go recharge them by radiating while you cool down your heat sink, which sounds like it makes for better stories than a permanent cloak would anyway.

'''Shadowjack:''' Damn it, I was trying to avoid having real cloaking devices, but powerful heat sinks are possible technology under my tech assumptions. And you've successfully explained an interpretation! 

Of course, it's not an absolute cloaking device, but it's certainly good for, say, "stealth recon" ships. Warp in, snoop for a while, warp out.

'''Mr. Teufel:''' Radiating that heat would be ''difficult''. Best to dump the heatsink itself. ['''Shadowjack:''' Good thinking.] Hmm... possibly several, as decoys when you uncloak? Interesting.

'''Radijs:''' And you'd still be very limited in what you can do even if you can dump all your heat in to a heatsink.
Because as soon as you turn on your cloak you cannot maneuver since your drive heat will be seen and of course, the waste heat will fill up your heat sink that much sooner. So you're stuck on the same course for several months. Better bring a BIG heatsink.