Build the Enterprise -- for real

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

http://www.buildtheenterprise.org/

Site is down right now, but you can get an idea from here.

Quote:

In Star Trek lore, the first Starship Enterprise will be built by the year 2245. But today, an engineer has proposed — and outlined in meticulous detail – building a full-sized, ion-powered version of the Enterprise complete with 1G of gravity on board, and says it could be done with current technology, within 20 years. “We have the technological reach to build the first generation of the spaceship known as the USS Enterprise – so let’s do it,” writes the curator of the Build The Enterprise website, who goes by the name of BTE Dan.

This “Gen1” Enterprise could get to Mars in ninety days, to the Moon in three, and “could hop from planet to planet dropping off robotic probes of all sorts en masse – rovers, special-built planes, and satellites.”

Complete with conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail, the BTE website was launched just this week and covers almost every aspect of how the project could be done. This Enterprise would be built entirely in space, have a rotating gravity section inside of the saucer, and be similar in size with the same look as the USS Enterprise that we know from Star Trek.

“It ends up that this ship configuration is quite functional,” writes BTE Dan, even though his design moves a few parts around for better performance with today’s technology. This version of the Enterprise would be three things in one: a spaceship, a space station, and a spaceport. A thousand people can be on board at once – either as crew members or as adventurous visitors.
While the ship will not travel at warp speed, with an ion propulsion engine powered by a 1.5GW nuclear reactor, it can travel at a constant acceleration so that the ship can easily get to key points of interest in our solar system. Three additional nuclear reactors would create all of the electricity needed for operation of the ship.

The saucer section would be a .3 mile (536 meter) diameter rotating, magnetically-suspended gravity wheel that would create 1G of gravity.

The first assignments for the Enterprise would have the ship serving as a space station and space port, but then go on to missions to the Moon, Mars, Venus, various asteroids and even Europa, where the ships’ laser would be used not for combat but for cutting through the moon’s icy crust to enable a probe to descend to the ocean below.

The budget? $1tn -- a lot, to be sure, but spread over a 20-year period for an economy the size of the US's, the author claims it's a doable amount.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

Should get it on Kickstarter.

metalangel · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 17:56

How fast would the centrifuge be turning relative to the central axis (where you want to get to to get on and off at a door!)

Secondly, all these worlds are ours, EXCEPT Europa. Attempt no landings there.

TheVision · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 17:57

Craster wrote:

Should get it on Kickstarter.

Nerds would be all over this! They'd make their money in no time.

sdg · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 18:18

Plus, think of all the other great inventions that would be influenced and inspired by this. I'm in. I can donate the contents of my computer desk, which includes a three quarters full tube of superglue, a pair of tweezers and a tin of Vaseline aloe vera lip balm.

Four_Candles · **Joined:** 27th Sep, 2009 **Posts:** 876

Great idea, but it'll probably be stalled due to fans causing massive debates on WHICH Enterprise to base the build on - pre-TOS, TOS, TOS refit, A, B, C, D ...........

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

metalangel wrote:

How fast would the centrifuge be turning relative to the central axis (where you want to get to to get on and off at a door!)

Size from here (450m diameter)
Formula from here
Calculation here

The saucer would have to spin at 6.25 2 rpm to create Earth-normal gravity at the outer surface. So not that fast.

Edit -- fixed calculation. Also, note from Wikipedia:

Quote:

Effects produced by the Coriolis effect also act on the inner ear and can cause dizziness, nausea and disorientation. Experiments have shown that longer periods of rotation reduce the Coriolis forces and its effects. It is generally believed that at 2 rpm or less, no adverse effects from the Coriolis forces will occur. At higher rates some people can become accustomed to it and some do not, but at rates above 7 rpm few if any can become accustomed

This is likely why the saucer is rotating at 2 rpm.

metalangel · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 19:41

Making your way 200m to the centre will be fun to do!

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

metalangel wrote:

Making your way 200m to the centre will be fun to do!

Damn straight -- with every step up a ladder, say, gravity will get less and less. You can use this formula to calculate by how much (change the value of R to the number of metres out you want to calculate).

Gravity is down to 95% of normal at 212 m. That's a 13 m height with close-to-normal gravity -- enough for five decks of living and work space, I'd guess.

metalangel · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 19:48

(sorry, just dreaming)

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

metalangel wrote:

(sorry, just dreaming)

I'm afraid you can't do that, Steve.

kalmar · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 21:56

metalangel wrote:

How fast would the centrifuge be turning relative to the central axis (where you want to get to to get on and off at a door!)

Secondly, all these worlds are ours, EXCEPT Europa. Attempt no landings there.

You know, I'm pretty sure I heard that they're attempting landings there real soon now.

Kern · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 22:10

kalmar wrote:

metalangel wrote:

How fast would the centrifuge be turning relative to the central axis (where you want to get to to get on and off at a door!)

Secondly, all these worlds are ours, EXCEPT Europa. Attempt no landings there.

You know, I'm pretty sure I heard that they're attempting landings there real soon now.

Despite opposition from a public and press that's growing increasingly Europasceptic

NervousPete · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 22:51

Nice one, Kern!

I love how they specify the laser will not be used for combat. Sure. We all know what we're gonna end up doing, fighting the Jovian Toad people with our handy 'mining laser'. "But your telepaths said they had no weapons!!" "Slurp! Sorry your wartiness!" "FOOL! DIE!!!" etc.

All our future encounters will be as if scripted by b-movie writers, incidently.

Also, can they build Firefly class transports?

metalangel · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 8:08

The laser won't be used as a weapon? Pah. I've read Known Space books, I know how humanity repelled the Kzinti.

NervousPete · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 9:47

metalangel wrote:

The laser won't be used as a weapon? Pah. I've read Known Space books, I know how humanity repelled the Kzinti.

Wahey! I've read those books. They were among my favest books when I was 13 and there-abouts. He's pretty terrible on characterisation regarding humans, but everything else is just so much fun with those books. Did you ever see the animated Star Trek episode written by Larry Niven which has Sulu, Spock and Uhura facing off against a Kzinti party after a certain shaper relic? It's pretty good, actually! I think it's on YouTube still.

metalangel · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 9:55

It just autocorrected you out of "Slaver".

No, I haven't seen it, but I am aware of it. It must break a lot of canons.

His human characters aren't the best, but they do have excellent names like "Saxtorph".

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:07

So what would they do with this "Enterprise" then? Drive it around Earth a bit before its decaying orbit made it crash into the ocean.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

Dimrill wrote:

So what would they do with this "Enterprise" then? Drive it around Earth a bit before its decaying orbit made it crash into the ocean.

I believe the intention is to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, and perhaps even to boldly go where no man has gone before.

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:10

Into the ocean.

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:10

Dimrill wrote:

So what would they do with this "Enterprise" then? Drive it around Earth a bit before its decaying orbit made it crash into the ocean.

Someone wants to build a spaceship. In space. I don't really mind what happens afterwards. Unless 'cheap space travel' isn't one of those things.

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:11

Cue millions of Star Wars fans demanding a real Death Star.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22392

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:12

Craster wrote:

Dimrill wrote:

So what would they do with this "Enterprise" then? Drive it around Earth a bit before its decaying orbit made it crash into the ocean.

I believe the intention is to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, and perhaps even to boldly go where no man has gone before.

Not your Mums then.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22392

Dimrill wrote:

Cue millions of Star Wars fans demanding a real Death Star.

And then being suddenly silenced.

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:14

Trooper wrote:

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

I wouldn't have thought it'd be too difficult. The major problem would be getting the bits up into orbit to build the thingy with. After you've solved that, you could crak on with it. We've had space stations for ages, so building one that'll move about should be fairly easy.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:14

Dimrill wrote:

Cue millions of Star Wars fans demanding a real Death Star.

Kalmar's already started it.

It's only going to fire couscous though.

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:17

Trooper wrote:

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

I think the bigger news story here is that the man has clearly invented warp travel, artificial gravity and force shields. Either that or he's hoping that banging some metal into approximate shapes that are on a TV programme will make them "work".

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

Zardoz wrote:

Dimrill wrote:

Cue millions of Star Wars fans demanding a real Death Star.

Kalmar's already started it.

It's only going to fire couscous though.

More powerful couscous than you can ever imagine.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:19

Dimrill wrote:

Trooper wrote:

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

I think the bigger news story here is that the man has clearly invented warp travel, artificial gravity and force shields. Either that or he's hoping that banging some metal into approximate shapes that are on a TV programme will make them "work".

I find your lack of faith disturbing.

kalmar · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:20

Craster wrote:

Zardoz wrote:

Dimrill wrote:

Cue millions of Star Wars fans demanding a real Death Star.

Kalmar's already started it.

It's only going to fire couscous though.

More powerful couscous than you can ever imagine.

Use the fork, Luke.

Four_Candles · **Joined:** 27th Sep, 2009 **Posts:** 876

Trooper wrote:

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

Seems okay to me right now:

http://www.buildtheenterprise.org/

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Dimrill wrote:

I think the bigger news story here is that the man has clearly invented warp travel, artificial gravity and force shields. Either that or he's hoping that banging some metal into approximate shapes that are on a TV programme will make them "work".

You should maybe RTFA (not the site, which is still down) before looking down your nose at it. It's really short, with paragraphs and everything.

The design calls for nuclear reactors, ion drives, and rotational gravity, all of which exist today. It just happens to look like the Enterprise, it doesn't work the same way.

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:25

Can't be arsed, to be frank. Why not build an equally useless piece of shit in orbit the size and shape of David Caruso's face?

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:26

Let's carve the word "Chairface" into the moon.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Dimrill wrote:

Can't be arsed, to be frank. Why not build an equally useless piece of shit in orbit the size and shape of David Caruso's face?

Why not write equally useless posts of shit on the Internet?

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:27

I'll leave that up to you.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:28

Dimrill wrote:

Can't be arsed, to be frank.

We've got Gaywood to be Yoda anyway.

markg · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 16639

See if there was a spaceship owned by the Internet this is the sort of thing that would happen whenever anything needed doing. By day three of the mission there would be a skeleton crew, the rest having flounced off in shuttles.

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:32

It's a fucking ridiculous idea and I really can't believe people are defending it.

metalangel · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:32

Nobody cares about Star Trek any more anyway! It's all memes, reality TV and Call of Duty.

Therefore, instead of the Enterprise, this ship should be shaped like a giant Nyan Cat. Genetically engineering a huge cat and making the pressurized hull out of pastry will be far cheaper than metal.

Artist's impression of it passing the moon enroute to Mars:

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:34

Don't look down your nose at it Perkies! Those rainbows are made by shitting Skittles out, don't you even know that yet?!

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

Dimrill wrote:

It's a fucking ridiculous idea and I really can't believe people are defending it.

Of course it wouldn't ever happen, but the idea that it's possible is hugely interesting.

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:38

Hey, if you can persuade China and Russia that a huge nuclear reactor floating over their heads won't be used to drop anvils on their children, sure it's possible!

kalmar · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:40

Craster wrote:

Dimrill wrote:

It's a fucking ridiculous idea and I really can't believe people are defending it.

Of course it wouldn't ever happen, but the idea that it's possible is hugely interesting.

The thing is, it's far more possible without the ludicrous conceit of it 'just happening' to resemble a fictional scifi spaceship.
It's meaningless bling.

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:41

Dimrill wrote:

It's a fucking ridiculous idea and I really can't believe people are defending it.

So was Spaceship One and the X Prize. And other stuffs. They worked. If it fails, you learn and gather data, try again. As a result of this less than 70 years from powered flight, we had a man on the moon. And now, 108 years from Kitty hawk you can go to space for £200k. Which isn't a lot.

If you don't take the chances, you don't make progress and carrying your attitude around, we'd still be sitting in caves wondering why we're cold.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22392

Four_Candles wrote:

Trooper wrote:

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

Seems okay to me right now:

http://www.buildtheenterprise.org/

Still dead to me.

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:42

What the flying hell fuck? Who the fucking christing fuck said I was against progress? Are you people utterly fucking shitting mad~?

Dimrill · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:42

What the flying hell fuck? Who the fucking christing fuck said I was against progress? Are you people utterly fucking shitting mad~?

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 10:44

Dimrill wrote:

It's a fucking ridiculous idea and I really can't believe people are defending it.

here.

Be Excellent To Each Other

Build the Enterprise -- for real

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