Joshua Pawlicki's Explanation of How It Works

Please note that this material was originally a PDF written by Joshua Pawlicki that came into my hands as part of a .zip file of technical info for game purposes. When I find the proper link to Pawlicki's site, I will post it here.-- Maer

Mechanics 101

Foreward

Legal information: This fan-based companion to the Serenity Role Playing Game is non-profit, and is designed to supplement the said game by including expansive information. Serenity, Firefly, and so on are registered trademarks that are switching company hands rather rapidly. This information is based on the Firefly series.

On with the show: Well, if you're reading this, then you are a great deal like me and quite unsatisfied with “technobabble” that the Serenity RPG suggests that players use to determine the effects of a ship. This was originally designed for just myself, then myself and my GM, but I've decided to write it like this just in case it is publicized on some forum. You have my permission (if you need it) to distribute this online or whatever. Have fun, good rolls to you.

At any rate, this document (written January 14, 2006) details the core mechanics of a boat in the 'Verse, and explains the general underlying theory behind that, as well as some issues with the boats that might not occur at first glance. This is not official. It merely offers an alternative method to “technobabble” of looking at the ship mechanics. Most of the scientific principles here are correct (the outstanding exception is the Gravity Drive). But it's as close as I can get.

-Joshua Pawlicki
Ship Mechanic of the Swan

Reference Tables

Mach # = (speed of object/speed of sound) = 761 mph (1225 km/h) (at sea level, standard pressure)
                                        At higher altitudes, there being less air, sound travels slower, so Mach # increases as speed stays constant.
                                        Mach <1 is subsonic, .8-1.2 is transonic, 1-5 is supersonic, Mach >=5 is hypersonic (at which point the air around the ship
                                        gets compressed enough to really start screwing with you).

Speed of Sound = Mach 1 = 1225 km/h = 761 mph

Assumptions:
Gravity Drives can control gravitational fields through electromagnetism:

1. Screening -                Reduces gravitational attraction between two objects.
2. Artificial Gravity -       Creates a point that has the gravitational attraction of a planet, but only within a screening field, or on a planet-wide basis (terraforming)
3. Inertial Control -         Setting screening and artificial gravity against each other can reduce the inertia of an object (only in one direction). Also known as Inertia Reduction. Check                                    out the source book for more information on this.
   
   
   

Ship Systems Table

Function	Device	Fuel/Input	Exhaust	Brief Description
Gravity	Gravity Drive	Electricity	Electromagnetic Radiation	See Assumptions.
Power	Fusion Reactor	H2O Packs	He2, O2, Heat, Electricity	A hydrogen fusion power generator.
Heat	Heat Sinks	Heat	None	Heat storage.
Propulsion	Thrusters (Pods):	(See Below)	(See Below)	A reconfigurable multi-mode jet engine.
	Turbine Electricity, H2	Heat, Fumes	Spins a turbine to intake air, then ramjets it.
	Ramjet	H2	Heat	Compresses air and heats it, expanding it.
	Scramjet	H2	Heat	A supersonic version of the ramjet.
	Rocket	He2 / H2*	Heat, Fumes	Output of superheated gases provides thrust.
	Pulse Engine	Heat, Electricity, Gas*	Superheated radioactive gas	A really big rocket with gravitational aid.
Hull Hull	None	None	Vacuum and radiation shielding.
Atmosphere	Algae Tanks	CO2, Heat, Light	O2	Photosynthetic creation of oxygen.
Water	Tanked Water	None	None	Basically you just bring it along.
Food Stored Food	None	None	Basically you just bring it along.
Waste	W. M. S. Waste, Electricity	Dehydrated waste, H2O	Centrifuged, purified, then compacted.
Navigation	Computers	Electricity	None	Pre-placed beacons assist your computer.
Sensors	Sensors	Electricity	None	RADAR-like, but not just radio waves.
	Scanners Electricity	None	More advanced and specific than sensors.
Communications	Com. Transmission	Electricity	None	As scanners do, it sends out a EM signal.

                        (A slash indicates “or”, a comma indicates “and”.)
                        (* - In theory the pulse engine and rocket mode of the pods can use just about anything gaseous that'll expand when heated. It is most efficient to use the superheated                         helium exhaust from the fusion reactor, however, since this serves no other purpose on the boat.)

Required Supplies

Refueling Needed
H2O Packs	Bought at resupply depots. Dideuterium Oxide (2H2O) and Ditritium Oxide (3H2O) for the fusion reactor. See How it Works: Fusion Reactor.
H2O Tanks	Standard cheaper water containing various isotopes of hydrogen for drinking and washing.
Self-Produced
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)	Produced by human breath.
Electricity	Produced by the Fusion Drive. All you could want.
Heat	By-product of the Fusion Drive. See Exhausts: Heat, also.
Light	Commonly produced by electricity.

Exhaust

Category	Description
Human Waste	Poop and the like.
Contaminated Water	From laundry, showering, washing dishes, etc.
Superheated H2 Gas	From the Thrusters and/or Pulse Drive.
Heat	It's hard to dump heat into space. There's no molecules to heat up. Heat is thus stored in heat sinks. Most ship designs allow you to use that heat to superheat water and eject it into space as an emergency overheating backup, thus ridding yourself of heat.