(NOTE: Something strange happened with this issue. It was scheduled to be published, but did not go out. Sorry about that. I’m looking into it. There’s a possibility that you might get it twice…or maybe not at all, in which case, I’m talking to myself.)
Fri, Mar 12, 2021 at 11:52 PM
David,
That is slightly more ambitious, size-wise, but somewhat on the lines of what I was envisioning. Upon reflection, what you have indicated does seem to be an appropriate minimum size of thruster engine. Of course, the thruster must have the ability to gimbal about to direct its force.
Another question: The thruster carries actual fuel tanks. This would imply that these might have to be topped up from time to time (if need be). Would this then occur from some tapping point from the side of the very large fuel tanks of the Cargo Hauler itself? Or would such provision be somehow included in the docking/charging socket? That would suggest that there is a fuel line running from the tanks through and up to (at least one of) the sockets.
The size of that thing also tells me I may have to rearrange those charging sockets again. Gon'na again be some grumbling from the tech crew. (ha! ha!)
- Ignatz
Sat, Mar 13, 2021 at 12:25 AM
Ignatz,
I just threw in the fuel tanks to be cute. They can look like anything you want. They don't even have to be visible, if you think that's better. Maybe a tank for this is shaped as a torus, around the body of the drone?
Regarding fuel top-offs, it makes sense that they'd be able to refuel these things sometimes. On the other hand, I would think they are usually filled by a drone service in various star systems; every cruise is carefully planned out, so they'd have a good idea how much fuel was needed in advance. Emergencies and schedule changes do happen; they could maybe perform refuel operations from the ship if they had to, but it wouldn't be a common occurrence.
A single dedicated line to a particular docking pad might make sense. If so, it would either have to be to one of the ventral pads, or to a specialized one, somewhere else — probably near either of the big tanks. Heck, you could put one right on a tank, at either end.
-David