Space flight in movies


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Was just watching Star Wars - kids are out - and was wondering why do movie makers always show space ships flying in space like planes? They don't do that. I wonder what Star Trek/Wars/Gate et al would be like if the ships moved like they should and not as if there was an atmosphere?

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Depends on what you're watching, older movies had little or no reference for agile space flight, much less the CG they have now, so movies like Star Wars relied on existing aircraft.

Star Trek used Submarine warfare, as their ships are supposed to be so large, they're not very mobile in combat.

There are some tv shows, however, that did try to redefine space flight, one that comes to mind is Babylon 5

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Was just watching Star Wars - kids are out - and was wondering why do movie makers always show space ships flying in space like planes? They don't do that. I wonder what Star Trek/Wars/Gate et al would be like if the ships moved like they should and not as if there was an atmosphere?

 

because realistic space battle would be boring. for small fighters, the speed and distance would be so high you'd see nothing. the target you shoot at would be a mere dot in the distance. this is also why BSG battles are unrealistic even if they employ "realistic" newtonian physics. as for Star Wars the battles where meant to simulate WWII fighter battles, it was a stylistic choice

 

when it comes to bigger ships like star destroyers and star trek ships. they pretty much have to, you can't turn such massive ships around on a ime, the forces would rip the structure apart internally, though I doubt they much cared about that when making the movies :)

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Because it's easier to maintain the sod (suspension of disbelief) that way - most of us have seen birds flying, and have seen or can imagine by association how airplanes do so. Space, however, is a big question mark for five nines. You may think that we know how it should be, but tell me - why aren't we living on the Moon and Mars then yet and there's practically no hope on doing so in our lifetimes, too?

 

And it's not just flying. There's no sound in space, yet we hear it. Due to highly limited oxygen supply (from the inside and storage tanks of the ship, if any, and that's it) there also can't be none of those spectacular explosions, yet there are.

 

And then - space debris. Moves at speeds exceeding 10 *km/s* and that's just Earth's orbit. A small screw would hit a big damn hole in any other hunk of metal in its way. There's enough already up there. Unless there's some revolutionary space janitor service operating behind the scenes in all those movies and stories, I figure it just might be a really big problem.

 

And a study was performed that basically said it would be impossible to construct a spaceship that flies at singe digit fractions of c even if all other physical obstacles could be technomagically solved before that. Deep space is not empty, but only mostly empty. Several hydrogen atoms at that point would be able to make cheese out of ship's hull.

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Because it's easier to maintain the sod (suspension of disbelief) that way - most of us have seen birds flying, and have seen or can imagine by association how airplanes do so. Space, however, is a big question mark for five nines. You may think that we know how it should be, but tell me - why aren't we living on the Moon and Mars then yet and there's practically no hope on doing so in our lifetimes, too?

 

And it's not just flying. There's no sound in space, yet we hear it. Due to highly limited oxygen supply (from the inside and storage tanks of the ship, if any, and that's it) there also can't be none of those spectacular explosions, yet there are.

 

And then - space debris. Moves at speeds exceeding 10 *km/s* and that's just Earth's orbit. A small screw would hit a big damn hole in any other hunk of metal in its way. There's enough already up there. Unless there's some revolutionary space janitor service operating behind the scenes in all those movies and stories, I figure it just might be a really big problem.

 

And a study was performed that basically said it would be impossible to construct a spaceship that flies at singe digit fractions of c even if all other physical obstacles could be technomagically solved before that. Deep space is not empty, but only mostly empty. Several hydrogen atoms at that point would be able to make cheese out of ship's hull.

 

Deflector dish.

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Deflector dish.

 

Ah, various types of technomagical invisible "shields" whose principles of operation are never sufficiently explained (just like anything else, really). We have dismissed that claim.

 

Of course, it's the shields. I just had to use that line.

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If we collect enough dark matter through the bussard collectors and shunt it through the main deflector we can generate a reverse tachyon pulse...

 

Yeah, or we could just get Brannon Braga  to use timetravel to save us... Either way...

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If we collect enough dark matter through the bussard collectors and shunt it through the main deflector we can generate a reverse tachyon pulse...

I'm giving it all she's got cap'n, if I push it any harder, the whole thing will blow.......

Ok, what if we're in a non Federation Vessel? :p

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Ah, various types of technomagical invisible "shields" whose principles of operation are never sufficiently explained (just like anything else, really). We have dismissed that claim.

Of course, it's the shields. I just had to use that line.

ActuLly I believe they've already showed the theoretical possibility of several energy and semi energy based shield, inlcuding one very similar to a deflector.

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Large bubbles of artificial magnetic fields supposedly around Mars expedition spacecraft and plasma windows? Fair enough. 100 years from now it's going to be very different and, in hindsight, such types of shields will probably seem patently obvious part of life.

 

But is why I often chuckle reading old stories where magnetic tape (it's not like it isn't any good, it just sooks at random access) and vaccuum tubes are still the cornerstone of information technology. Now it seems but funny. However, when predictions *are* made regarding new and evolved technologies - I'm sorry - pure technobabble starts.

 

Now why did I mention tape - evolution of all things invented is limited both in use and in its own brickwall limits, whichever comes first then. In the history of mankind we've had numerous breakthroughs, designs that have changed the course, but after some time all replaced by something different, previously unimaginable. Consider the old good transistor (and semi-conductor fabrication in general) - it's domination just might soon be over as we hit the physical wall. Rarely anybody knows what's behind that wall, it's just guesses and technobabble - photonics, optronics and whatnot. It's increasingly improbable to imagine that future technologies will be based on any of the concepts that are so ubiquitous now.

 

And that's why I'm against calling it sci-fi. There's soft sci-fi (majority of it, really, because actual science methodically disproves many a hard sci-fi as it progresses) and then there's nothing but space fantasy.

 

Most of the stuff is technobabble. Unfortunately, that includes shields.

 

I'm not saying it's not enjoyable, regardless of the amount of sod involved, and certainly not that one should not indulge into researching reasonable explanations for these things. But I'm heavily disillusioned that despite our advances we've gone nowhere fast and that sort of makes a bit of luddite.

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Apparently Space 1999 was praised for it's realistic design and movement of vehicles in space. Try watching that if your after realistic movement, the rest of the show isn't that realistic though...

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All very interesting to say the least, albeit I'll stick with Gate Travel. . .much safer though you really cannot be sure what is waiting on the other side. . . :shiftyninja:

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" why aren't we living on the Moon and Mars then yet and there's practically no hope on doing so in our lifetimes, too?"

What do you mean no hope - did you apply for Mars One?

http://www.mars-one.com/

Human Settlement on Mars

Mars One will establish a permanent human settlement on Mars. Crews of four will depart every two years, starting in 2024. Our first unmanned mission will be launched in 2018. Participate in this mission to Mars through our crowdfunding campaign.

The first round astronaut applications ended Aug 2013, but sure there will be more rounds

http://www.mars-one.com/faq/selection-and-preparation-of-the-astronauts/can-i-apply-to-become-an-astronaut

I don't know about you, but sure hope to be still around in 2024 ;) 10 years from now!

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Seems overly optimistic they'll achieve their 2024 goal. provided their candidates even are willing to risk their lives on earth 10 years from now. By then they may have girlfriends and family and all that. 

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It may well be a pipe dream to be sure.. But it clearly is more than NO HOPE ;)

Lets see how they progress along their timeline.. They have a demo mission and satcom in mars orbit scheduled for 2018 (right around the corner), if that falls short then sure 2024 would clearly have to be pushed..

And valid point about crew that volunteer now for something that is 10 years off.

I really don't see it being a younger crowd going since its 1 way trip..

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