Space is vast and mostly empty. And not all luck is bad.
or, maybe-
They're examples of superior construction materials and methods.
or, maybe-
Wreckage goes into a different catalog.
I haven't applied any materials or textures to any of these ships - just some colors. I probably should look into that. At present, I'm not able to devote a computer to the rendering time required.
I did make one with some damage a while back : link
If they are derelicts how come they look brand new?
This is where the tropes of science fiction removed from the science misdirect people. About the most damage a spacecraft drifting through empty space unattended and abandoned will be from radiation effects, which can anneal and make brittle some metals, however, over a long period of time. And like rojren states, if your materials technology advances along with other technologies (which in contemporary science fiction it often does not) then even radiation damage accumlated over thousands of years will not be a problem. (Most of the radiation a ship might suffer from would be from its own drive/reactor--if you are sticking to HSF.)
I was looking at ISS photos for indications of the kind of true "weathering" that can be expected in space, and the only thing I could find appeared to be heat discoloration on the airlock outer hatch (which is looks to be a fabric membrane) and on some metal structures. It mostly still looks pristine.
I always assumed (without any evidence) that a major problem with ancient ships would be charged dust collecting on the surfaces. Oh, wait... in 2010: Odyssey Two, Discovery I was covered with sulphur, wasn't it?
Anyway. Going for an all-out Art Deco look - again.
The Discovery in 2010 was a different set of circumstances than a ship just floating in the (relatively) clean vacuum of space. It was left near Jupiter and many of its moons. Jupiter has traces of sulfur in its upper atmosphere, though it's hard to say if that much would have collected on the ship in 9 years. Jupiter also has 3 rings of dust floating around it, some of that may have also collected on the Discovery. You also have to factor in crap that flies towards Jupiter due to its massive gravity. People who think ships should stay clean in space typically don't factor in where a ship may be flying or floating. A ship that routinely flies in and out of solar systems and/or other interstellar phenomena is going to have at least some stuff hit its hull.
As you said, Discovery was around a decade old. Some of these ships have been rotating about the galactic center for millions or billions of years. Lots of chances to cross dusty regions.
After I get tired of this one, I'll try damaging it.
Spacecraft in deep space will be very clean, although those travelling at relativistic speeds will have some pitting on the forward surfaces from where thye have slammed into microscopic dust particles. Spacecraft which perform launches and re-entires can be expected to be about as dirty as aircraft, perhaps a little more so depending on the type of atmopsheres thye fly through upon launch and landing. Ships going through the galactic core will get more dust on them than those in the outer parts of the galaxy, but even then it will be a very slow build-up, and the speeds thye are travelling at dust is more likely to make little craters than it is to pile up on the surface.
Discovery in 2010 (really good film by the way) was dirty because Io ejects quite a lot of volcanic material out of it's gravity well and into the jupiter system where it becomes involved in huge electrical current loops between io and the main planet, it also contributes to jupiter's almost invisible ring system. Some of this would end up on any ship orbiting Io though it might be a little slower than 2010 would suggest.
Thanks evil. It's one of the bonuses of being indecisive and unfocused.
Here's a beginning on a damaged version. I've drilled a hole through the ship, removed parts of the hull, and cut some shapes out, for internal stuff. I'm playing with how to get some irregular shapes in AutoCAD.
Thank you, psCargile. Part of me is a bit disturbed by that, since I'm not really trying that hard for alien designs.
evil: AutoCAD has many options and abilities. But they have a tendency to be buggy as hell, and not that well thought out. I broke out a manual, and I'm reviewing my options.
Posts
Tag: 0000 810005-0007221
Type: Deep Explorer
Status: abandoned
Location: Impetus 218
(Orion 000.89-10010.84)
Culture: Cascade Alliance
Est. Age: 86 thousand years
Size: 2.4km
Nickname: Sciathan
Space is vast and mostly empty. And not all luck is bad.
or, maybe-
They're examples of superior construction materials and methods.
or, maybe-
Wreckage goes into a different catalog.
I haven't applied any materials or textures to any of these ships - just some colors. I probably should look into that. At present, I'm not able to devote a computer to the rendering time required.
I did make one with some damage a while back : link
This is where the tropes of science fiction removed from the science misdirect people. About the most damage a spacecraft drifting through empty space unattended and abandoned will be from radiation effects, which can anneal and make brittle some metals, however, over a long period of time. And like rojren states, if your materials technology advances along with other technologies (which in contemporary science fiction it often does not) then even radiation damage accumlated over thousands of years will not be a problem. (Most of the radiation a ship might suffer from would be from its own drive/reactor--if you are sticking to HSF.)
I was looking at ISS photos for indications of the kind of true "weathering" that can be expected in space, and the only thing I could find appeared to be heat discoloration on the airlock outer hatch (which is looks to be a fabric membrane) and on some metal structures. It mostly still looks pristine.
Anyway. Going for an all-out Art Deco look - again.
The Discovery in 2010 was a different set of circumstances than a ship just floating in the (relatively) clean vacuum of space. It was left near Jupiter and many of its moons. Jupiter has traces of sulfur in its upper atmosphere, though it's hard to say if that much would have collected on the ship in 9 years. Jupiter also has 3 rings of dust floating around it, some of that may have also collected on the Discovery. You also have to factor in crap that flies towards Jupiter due to its massive gravity. People who think ships should stay clean in space typically don't factor in where a ship may be flying or floating. A ship that routinely flies in and out of solar systems and/or other interstellar phenomena is going to have at least some stuff hit its hull.
After I get tired of this one, I'll try damaging it.
Discovery in 2010 (really good film by the way) was dirty because Io ejects quite a lot of volcanic material out of it's gravity well and into the jupiter system where it becomes involved in huge electrical current loops between io and the main planet, it also contributes to jupiter's almost invisible ring system. Some of this would end up on any ship orbiting Io though it might be a little slower than 2010 would suggest.
Here's a beginning on a damaged version. I've drilled a hole through the ship, removed parts of the hull, and cut some shapes out, for internal stuff. I'm playing with how to get some irregular shapes in AutoCAD.
evil: AutoCAD has many options and abilities. But they have a tendency to be buggy as hell, and not that well thought out. I broke out a manual, and I'm reviewing my options.
Added more internal structures.
Reminds me of an M.C. Escher print.
Now, I need to learn (re-learn) how to put materials on it, and add some more color inside the damaged area.
Until I get through that, I'll work on this ship.
Tag: 0000 100212-0416308
Type: Cargo Hauler
Status: abandoned
Location: Titanides Research Zone,
(Orion 010.22-80153.70)
Culture: Suutandre Kunnic
Est. Age: 16 thousand years
Size: 615m
Nickname: Truncheon
Yeah, me too. I like it.