BSG Tech

[TechGuy]

I want to start a thread where you can ask a question about technology from the show or even point out disparages about technologies.

For instance; if pictures, paper, and computer readouts are not square why are the TVs and computer monitors square?

And I don't have an answer for that one myself.

[Osprey]

shot from the hip -- when the colonials first developed cathode ray tubes [or the equivalent] for those apps they wound up seeing that square/rectangle gave the best picture and simply kept the shape regardless of the subsequent technology or application ...

[TechGuy]

That is a perfect answer. I hadn't even thought about picture resolution and aspect ratios. Though I think it would be possible to make an octagonal monitor it would be much easier to settle on square.

Now how do you suppose the landing system operates on a battlestar? Do you think it uses the same simulated gravity technology as the rest of the ship or more like a capture device on board modern aircraft carriers?

[Shane]

I feel sorry for the electrical engineers. :)

[ShadowEnigma]

That is a perfect answer. I hadn't even thought about picture resolution and aspect ratios. Though I think it would be possible to make an octagonal monitor it would be much easier to settle on square.

Now how do you suppose the landing system operates on a battlestar? Do you think it uses the same simulated gravity technology as the rest of the ship or more like a capture device on board modern aircraft carriers?

I believe it's all magnetic. I believe the way they latched on to the cargo ship when they went after the mine was a magnetic seal, it didn't look like there was any latches holding onto the landing gear there. I think the landing strip can be magnetized somehow, and the two attract each other. I think I remember hearing/reading that somewhere before.

There has to be gravity on the flight deck I would think, simply because of all of the vehicles you see on it, unless by going by my previous magnetized idea, that they have some sort of magnetic attraction to the metal floor to keep them from floating away.

[Spencerian]

Based on episode dialogue, the landing bay is magnetic. This is also shown in the Miniseries, as you see space-suited workers in the bay floating just above the deck as Colonial One first lands there for the decommissioning ceremonies.

The landing bay can activate artificial gravity, however, as shown in the Miniseries (the starboard landing bay-turned-museum-turned-morgue-turned-auditorium-turned-refugee camp), but it seems that no gravity is best for ship landings.

[JDS]

I still don't buy into that plot where the food systems got "contaminated" and they had to go harvest algae to eat.

I mean if they food systems can really recycle everything and provide a theoretically infinite supply, then they have to be able to break things down to a basic molecular level, even lower than proteins and carbohydrates and things like that. So there's absolutely no reason why they couldn't just sterilize all the raw materials in the system with heat, radiation, whatever you want, sterilize the machinery, and then dump it all back in. And if they COULDN'T do that, then how would a fresh batch of algae solve the problem? As soon as they put it in the system, it would just get "contaminated" too.

[ShadowEnigma]

I believe that the only way they were able to save the machinery was by getting rid of all of the infected stuff then scrubbing it out. I can see it being possible that they couldn't save it. It seems that however it got infected, it was in a way the machines couldn't sort it out. No system is perfect, and nothing can recycle 100%.

[TechGuy]

Now this is a question I've been wanting to ask.

How do you suppose the FTL (faster than light) drive works?

Time displacement?
Gravitational manipulation?

[JDS]

Now this is a question I've been wanting to ask.

How do you suppose the FTL (faster than light) drive works?

Time displacement?
Gravitational manipulation?FTL technology in the BSG universe clearly makes discrete "jumps", which clearly indicates technology that generates wormholes, "folding" space to move the destination to the same place as the origin.

[buerger23]

It a lot like the navigators in the Dune series and not like Hyperspace in Star Wars

[JDS]

Gah, you can only comprehend things in terms of other Sci Fi series, huh? :lol:

[buerger23]

Gah, you can only comprehend things in terms of other Sci Fi series, huh? :lol:

Ya I guess so. I live and breath Sci-Fi.

[Shane]

I see the FTL like nothing else. FTL is a one jump procedure. Both Star wars and Star Trek the ship was traveling and maintain that speed. FTL is just a fixed to fixed jump points.

[buerger23]

Right but in Star Trek they use worm holes. And they warp space (Warp 9)

[JDS]

I see the FTL like nothing else. FTL is a one jump procedure. Both Star wars and Star Trek the ship was traveling and maintain that speed. FTL is just a fixed to fixed jump points.I believe Star Trek uses the method of shrinking space in front of the ship and expanding it behind the ship, creating a "warp bubble", but I'd have to check my technical manuals to be sure. And they had those wormholes, but I don't think they ever created them artificially, at least not on a controllable basis.

Star Wars didn't ever explain it in the movies, maybe they did in the books. You just hit the button and go.

[buerger23]

They did explain it in the books and It takes time so they are literally travelling faster than light and the hyperdrive engines need fuel and coolant so this says that the engines can be over driven.

[Shane]

Worm Hole vs Warp space in theoretical physics is this in laymans terms from my perpective. (being a student myself in Physics)

Worm Hole is a "bend in space" that is predicable. Possibly the same thing as a black hole.

Warp space is a layer of "space" between normal space and "sub-space" where objects, to travel without worries of time difference between normal and subspace.

The Star Trek subspace is something that I don't think could exist in the real world. However, warp speed in my belif, I think it can be achived in real life and that it can be used as a template for fast interseller communication and transportation.

And believe it or not, half our sciences get their ideas from Star Trek. So that's why I know were we are headed. First HDD that's a disc. Now the technology for solid state drives, like isoliner chips in Star Trek is just one more step before isoliner chips are what we today called "silcon dioides".

[buerger23]

Warp is not technically travelling FTL is it though?

[1Nivek1]

Warp is not technically travelling FTL is it though?

I'm not sure here....but really to get anywhere in the galaxy (let alone universe), one really would have to be able to to go FTL.

Einstein says no to that one, and time-dilation experments seem to confirm that at least in inertial reference frames.

As far as I know, there is no known experimental method that have shown that they can get subatomic particles past the speed of light in vacuum (correct me if I'm wrong here). The sub-space, parallel universes, and "change in the laws of physics" in extreme condition (e.g. black-hole), are speculative a la theoretical physics. So, I think for all scifi they go with bending space-time, so that the laws "change".

I think warp drive(star trek), was FTL, and while they were limited to warp 9, If i remember correctly the borg had tech to go faster.

[ShadowEnigma]

The theories that I have seen that somewhat make sense to me is this. If you think of space as a straight line, you take Galactica's point, and the point they want to go, bend the line so the two touch, and then the jump is the ability to cross that at that short of a distance instead of having to go across the entire line

---G----------P----

---G-----|
---P-----|

G is Galactica and P is the point they want to go. They bend space and basically slide through it to the point they want to be.

[JDS]

Warp space is a layer of "space" between normal space and "sub-space" where objects, to travel without worries of time difference between normal and subspace.I don't really know much about that idea...such things, revolving around creation of or access to some special "relativity free zone" are mostly the domain of lazy sci fi writers...I think the most common/popular ideas for actual FTL travel are the wormhole idea (making discrete jumps by bending space) and the FTL drive idea, for lack of a better term (shrinking space in front of you and expanding space behind you).

And believe it or not, half our sciences get their ideas from Star Trek. So that's why I know were we are headed. First HDD that's a disc. Now the technology for solid state drives, like isoliner chips in Star Trek is just one more step before isoliner chips are what we today called "silcon dioides".Well I wouldn't quite say half, but definitely a lot of ideas...there was a TV special about this, they even got Shatner to host it...excellent program.

Warp is not technically travelling FTL is it though?It the general sense, it is. As long as you get from Point A to Point B in less time the quotient of their nominal distance divided by the speed of light, it's referred to as FTL. However, none of these "technologies" actually involves transiting actual space faster than the speed of light.

I think warp drive(star trek), was FTL, and while they were limited to warp 9, If i remember correctly the borg had tech to go faster.Uh. It's complicated.

The simple answer is that some Federation vessels were capable of exceeding Warp 9. Various versions of the Enterprise were at times modified and pushed well past Warp 10.

The complicated answer is that there is no agreement on how the "Warp" system works. In one system, it's some kind of reverse logarithmic measurement where all FTL speeds are between Warp 1 and Warp 10...the speed increases exponentially as the Warp number approaches 10, so nothing can ever travel at or above Warp 10, which represents infinite speed. In another system, it seems to be analogous to Mach numbers...simple multiples of c. In other systems, it's really not clear, somewhere in between.

[buerger23]

"Warp is not technically travelling FTL is it though?" - Buerger23

"It the general sense, it is. As long as you get from Point A to Point B in less time the quotient of their nominal distance divided by the speed of light, it's referred to as FTL. However, none of these "technologies" actually involves transiting actual space faster than the speed of light." - JDS

Yes but that's what I meant transiting sapce faster than light not bending it but I do see what you mean.

[JDS]

We're pretty clear that your velocity cannot ever reach c. So any science fiction that at least pretends to take science seriously usually won't have a vehicle simply accelerate to c and beyond, they all have some method, whether explained or not, of manipulating space to get places faster than light.

[buerger23]

I know but I'm just saying that's what I meant and I know since Galactica tries to stay as true as possible that they bend space but Star Trek seems to me that they accelerate and beyond 'c'.

[1Nivek1]

I know but I'm just saying that's what I meant and I know since Galactica tries to stay as true as possible that they bend space but Star Trek seems to me that they accelerate and beyond 'c'.

Yeah, this was never quite too clear in Trek. I think the idea was that space was bent around the ship itself such that the ship could move FTL outside it's frame of reference. That doesn't quite add up though, because it violates relativity. I think the "work around" was that the bubble was sub-space so that the reference frames weren't inertial.

Of course, my favorite workaround has always been "inertial dampeners". Not sure how that'd work. Perhaps another magical bubble within another? That's violating Newton for frak's sake ;)

Seriously, you'd have to modify gravity inside of modifying space.

[buerger23]

Ya, I have though that as well what's with inertial dampeners? But you do have one thing wrong anything to do with FTL violates some law or theory and I have one question how would you create that bubble of yours around the ship?:lol::lol:

[JDS]

I know but I'm just saying that's what I meant and I know since Galactica tries to stay as true as possible that they bend space but Star Trek seems to me that they accelerate and beyond 'c'.They don't really detail it much, but Star Trek definitely didn't just accelerate to c. They mess around with bending space and bubbles and such.

Ya, I have though that as well what's with inertial dampeners? But you do have one thing wrong anything to do with FTL violates some law or theory and I have one question how would you create that bubble of yours around the ship?:lol::lol:Inertial dampeners just exert gravity fields that oppose inertial forces, same as the gravity fields that oppose the tendency of people to float off the deck.

[buerger23]

Yes, but how do they work would it slow the ship down using inertial dampeners. Every force has an equal and opposite reaction. How do they "just exert gravity fields" around a ship?

[1Nivek1]

...And on the 6th day, Roddenbery noticed his ships were returning unmanned but with very distict (and rather unprofessionally installed) wallpaper that really didn't "tie ANY room together". So Roddenbery put pen to paper and said :"From this day forth there shall be inertial dampeners."
And on the 7th day he rested. But he got bored so he called a cab and went to the red-light district -- a plannetary system so named for it's peculiar crimson sun.

[JDS]

Amen.

[jp2542as]

There are several ways to have FTL type travel. So I propose we type them so we can
manage discussion about them. Here are my suggestions...

1. Einstein-Rosen bridge (Aka wormhole)
This is a point to point type of tunnel where the endpoints are fixed
by some physical (from our point of view) phenomena. This is your SGC
and Deepspace nine type. You have to actually travel it.

2. Tesseract/Space folding
This is the transforming of normal space to bring two endpoints close to each
other. You take a step, unfold space, and your there. Travel time is sort
relative to the traveler and others in normal space. This is your Dune/A
Whisper in time type.

3. Hyperdrive
This is where you move from one dimension to another. You travel in the alternate
universe/dimension and exit from it at your destination.

4. Warp Drive
This is where you move by compressing the space in front of you and expanding
it behind you. You are surfing a wave of warped space. You are in a normal
space bubble so nothing violates the "rules".

5. Jump Drive
This appears to be the BSG style. You instantaneously move from one place
to another. And its a relatively dangerous way to travel...

6. Q type
Time/space/distance/instance-of-being have no human equivalent.
I think I'd prefer type 2... but type 4 is safer and more easily fits the human concept
of traveling. Type 6 would be more than more humans could deal with ;)

[TechGuy]

I see the FTL like nothing else. FTL is a one jump procedure. Both Star wars and Star Trek the ship was traveling and maintain that speed. FTL is just a fixed to fixed jump points.

Aggreed. The ships are not transversing and wormhole or form of space fold suggesting that they move space/time aroun them rather than around space/time itself.

To do the above would require a matter that is extremely dence, or, that can be manipulated to simulate a vastly more dence matter.

Or maybe a field that extends a gravity well around the vessel forcing the space around it to fold onto the well and trade locations of the space at the same time.

This is based on Einstein's Theory of General Relativity.

[1Nivek1]

Well, the most probable of technologies to be developed is clearly this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsK6aRuSBIc

[jp2542as]

Ah... The improbability drive! That's only for the truely adventurous (and by that I mean crazy). You don't know what-where-when-how-why anything happens after you hit that button ;). Best 4 book trilogy ever (The Hitchhikers Guide to the universe)...

[jerrywickey]

The translation of the four thousand year old text where Zeus gives the knowledge of FTL to the children of Kobol is done. It is posted. The FTL drive is the first of the cybernet systems where genetic and organic materials are interwoven with mechanical devices and which ultimately led to mankind's invention of the cylon.

I hope you all enjoy my interpretation of FTL

Jerry

[barnmaddo]

Why are FTL jumps such a big deal in the miniseries. High members of government would rather sit in a chair for 5hours each way than do a quick FTL jump. Saul and the crew almost seem scared when Adama orders the first jump in the series. But then a couple episodes later its an every 33minute occurance.

-Jumps cost too much, but then how can the Galactica fleet afford it later?
-Their dangerous? There are quite a few accidents during jumps in the series.
-People really don't like the nausea?
-Most ships don't have powerful enough computers to plot a jump?
-Its just something new and scary?

[jp2542as]

-Jumps cost too much, but then how can the Galactica fleet afford it later?


Are you kidding? ;) Think of the government contracts that makes whole bunches of rich people!


-Their dangerous? There are quite a few accidents during jumps in the series.


But not much more than any public transportation system. Sometimes things go wrong. But not enough to scare most after a few hundred jumps ..


-People really don't like the nausea?


Then they don't get on the ride or they drop a pill ...


-Most ships don't have powerful enough computers to plot a jump?


I just watched a fight jump...


-Its just something new and scary?

They left the diaper wearers back home :lol:

[The Dirt]

Always? i dont kno bout alway. I saw guy selling bj .but dont know you if interst?

[thevarrior]

Reading through this thread hurts the brain.

[The Dirt]

You missed the spam post that got deleted.

[genji2000]

This (http://www.battlestarforum.com/showthread.php?p=36006#post36006) was my favourite.