Technically, they should`ve being glowing red-orange. Small surface= necessary high temperature. However, most ships in VIA are depicted in drifting mode - thrusters and weapons offline, reactors on minimum output.
The commonwealth frigate is presently rendering away, so it's time to start on the UOE "kenlo" (or at least that's what google translate tells me meatball is in esperanto). The centrifuge is pretty much done.
Never understood your fascination with esperanto ^^
While browsing through my VIA folder a couple weeks ago when you started delivering new cool ships I was thinking the huge cylindrical european ships would look nice with a big aerospike nozzle as propulsion. Not that they look bad (quite the contrary, i'm a sucker for ships with strong axial symmetry) but they might take advantage of a unique distinguishing design feature.
I always thought aerospikes were too increase engine efficiency at low atmospheric altitudes, or am I mistaken. Speaking of aerospikes, I'm going to be using linear ones on lots of the SSTO commercial craft and frontier fighters. As far as esperanto, I like using it in VIA because it strikes me as extremely goofy.
Well i can't remember the source right now, but i saw an image not so long ago in a pdf were they explained aeropike shapes would redirect incoming projectiles away from the engine, while bell nozzle would direct it inside, when hit from the rear. It was suggested as a measure against micrometeorites impacts in the case of a nuclear thermal engine, so it might have its use on a pure space ship (besides looking quite cool).
I sometimes doodle ships for roleplay games purposes (and i can't thank you enough for all your excellent background material ^^), one of my favorite ideas was a manned frontier world interceptor, looking like fattened x-43 (really fat, since the rear needs to be cylindrical to fit the huge aerospike) with with a bimodal atmospheric/vacuum engine, and an aerospike at the rear. It was supposed to launch from ground in an erected position, perform its mission in orbit of the planet, then reenter atmosphere aerospike first, used both as heat shield and to use the engine to control the reentry, then land on its tail (well on its deployed landing gear, but you get the idea). Perfect for worlds were you fear your runways to be destroyed, or if you lack the time or manpower to built them, etc...
I'll see what I can do with the x-43 look. If you ever feel like sending your doodles my way please do, I'd love to take a squint at them.
Ok, here is another update. Added a shuttle bay, radiators and bracing connectors that will also be where the weapons are located and contain the RCS thrusters. I don't think I'm going to do retros on this one, it will just have to turn its fat ass around if it wants to slow down. The 'tennis racket' radiators are designed to retract into the gloves when not in use. It's going to have more traditional radiators around the engineering section but part of the back story will be that it originally didn't have the tennis racket ones and was prone to chronic overheating.
Cool looking "wardrum"! Radiators are quite good addition too. Whole design inspires sort of nostalgia from 80s.
By the way, re-using x-43 would be an awesome idea! Thrust to weight ratio of VIA`s aerospace fighters are enough to launch vertically, so, it will be a practical solution for words without runways, or for "surprize launch", since it is much easier to conceal vertically launched fighter.
Working on the meatball, or the wardrum, take your pick. Got the interconnecting arms and point defense railgun done, working on the shuttle bay. This shot has the radiators retracted.
I'm going to go bonkers on the surface detailing because it's such an uninteresting shape.
Yes, but enough get the radiators literally red-hot? Maybe, but it's not certain.
-Will
Take ISS as a reference. They do not have reactors in there. Only electronics (very limited and energy-efficient), life support and a limited personal. Check the sheer size of the radiators. There was a calculation of required radiator size at "Atomic Rocket", and I`ve tryed to stay realistic at first... But after I`ve got required surface of several thousands of square meters... Well, I`ve just handwaved on this matter. Radiators in VIA-verse are ultra-effective. Well beyond them can be even in theory.
Working on the meatball, or the wardrum, take your pick. Got the interconnecting arms and point defense railgun done, working on the shuttle bay. This shot has the radiators retracted.
I'm going to go bonkers on the surface detailing because it's such an uninteresting shape.
Awesome, as allways. Somehow, it reminds classic Battletech dropships now Looks more spherical, then drum-like.
looks more like a short bongo than a wardrum to me . Lot's of details eh? Sound like she's got a lot of widgets and complicated pieces of equipment maybe pipes and support equipment outside the hull to free up internal space. That might mean she suffers from lots of little breakdowns, keeping her crew on their toes and highly experienced at EVA missions, just the sort of training you'd find useful if you were boarding (or inspecting) another ship (just dropping some breadcrumbs of background )
I like that idea Tombo, consider it incorporated. Here is tonight's update Got the radiators finished, added initial doodads on the rear hull, made a laser turret, and almost threw a shoe at my monitor getting the ribbed section on the forward hull with the portholes done.;
Just one question... Is the hangar bay allways depresurized? I mean, it is freaking hard to make "garage-door" style shutters sealed... Maybe, sliding door will be better? You know, sliding around the central axis of the ship. Not flat, but sector of cylinder.
No, it's always depressurized. The sliding door is a great idea though and will be on later ships. I can't incorporate on this one as I changed my mind and plopped some retros on it;
Looks awesome with retros! Can you show one of the thrusters close? And I`m glad that you liked the idea of sliding door.
It the hangar is allways depresurized, the shutter pose no problems. Heh... And it provide even more EVA work for the crew Just as Tombo said - the ship will be manned by one hell of the spacewalker crew, since experience in EVA work will be mandatory.
Posts
On rendering the ship will also be located? Or is it a front?
Damn thats some clean modeling! Especially for SU.
You are allways forgetting to paint secondary radiators
Yep, I`m allways too lazy to clean up tricky model parts
-Will
Wait for the commercial ships!
Well, yes, when the ship is underway the radiators will actually be radiating. But the ships are usually depicted as 'drift stations' in the art.
-Will
While browsing through my VIA folder a couple weeks ago when you started delivering new cool ships I was thinking the huge cylindrical european ships would look nice with a big aerospike nozzle as propulsion. Not that they look bad (quite the contrary, i'm a sucker for ships with strong axial symmetry) but they might take advantage of a unique distinguishing design feature.
I sometimes doodle ships for roleplay games purposes (and i can't thank you enough for all your excellent background material ^^), one of my favorite ideas was a manned frontier world interceptor, looking like fattened x-43 (really fat, since the rear needs to be cylindrical to fit the huge aerospike) with with a bimodal atmospheric/vacuum engine, and an aerospike at the rear. It was supposed to launch from ground in an erected position, perform its mission in orbit of the planet, then reenter atmosphere aerospike first, used both as heat shield and to use the engine to control the reentry, then land on its tail (well on its deployed landing gear, but you get the idea). Perfect for worlds were you fear your runways to be destroyed, or if you lack the time or manpower to built them, etc...
Ok, here is another update. Added a shuttle bay, radiators and bracing connectors that will also be where the weapons are located and contain the RCS thrusters. I don't think I'm going to do retros on this one, it will just have to turn its fat ass around if it wants to slow down. The 'tennis racket' radiators are designed to retract into the gloves when not in use. It's going to have more traditional radiators around the engineering section but part of the back story will be that it originally didn't have the tennis racket ones and was prone to chronic overheating.
By the way, re-using x-43 would be an awesome idea! Thrust to weight ratio of VIA`s aerospace fighters are enough to launch vertically, so, it will be a practical solution for words without runways, or for "surprize launch", since it is much easier to conceal vertically launched fighter.
Yes, but enough get the radiators literally red-hot? Maybe, but it's not certain.
-Will
I'm going to go bonkers on the surface detailing because it's such an uninteresting shape.
Awesome, as allways. Somehow, it reminds classic Battletech dropships now
It the hangar is allways depresurized, the shutter pose no problems. Heh... And it provide even more EVA work for the crew