Mon, Mar 22, 2021 at 1:38 AM
David,
Just a quick render to give you another view of the cargo frame, this time with a thruster drone to show relative sizes. Gosh, but that thruster drone looks like a fly on an elephant, but then, small amounts of thrust make a huge difference when there is no gravity fighting the change.
Again, this is in no way 'finished'. That little cube I added onto the corner of the frame on which the drone is perched gives me some further constructional ideas which I will have to try out. Also, I think there needs to be some more work on some of the beams. We'll see.
- Ignatz
Mon, Mar 22, 2021 at 8:15 AM
Ignatz,
Yeah, that's pretty small, but then, the nozzles on the International Space Station are comparatively very tiny, yet they're able to move that thing out of the way of space junk, and stabilize its orbit whenever required.
Between the two Tottenbergs on a average cruise, they'd have at least four thruster drones of their own, and can rent as many more as they see fit. I'd imagine that the mass and its distribution for each cruise are pre-calculated, and the decision as to how many thrusters and other drones will be required are made at that point. There's probably a standard potential speed of directional change that's required by law, and if they need more drones to achieve it, based on the calculated mass of the load, then they'd have to bring them in. Of course, more drones means less profit per run, so that decision isn't made without some consideration.
-David