CT Only: Inertial Compensation

[Grav_Moped]

That's not lateral (sideways) acceleration, that's rotational acceleration.

Lateral acceleration is linear acceleration to the side, i.e. not in the direction of the main drive.

Neither the centripetal force nor the lateral displacement from the rotation are in the direction of the main drive (though the latter is, in this example, momentary).

The net effect on the ship isn't lateral acceleration, but the local effects at a distance from the center of mass, are definitely lateral (and would need to be addressed by an inertial compensation system).

 

[Grav_Moped]

Note that at an approximately 5 RPM pitch or yaw rate as described above, the ship can turn 180^o in 6 seconds.

I do not think the inertial compensation system could completely cancel the forces generated by a tailslide (aerobatic maneuver with a very fast rotation in pitch, link to Wikipedia). The Type T would only perform this maneuver on atmospheric entry (as a tail-first re-entry rather than starting with a quarter-loop into a stall), and even then only inadvertently (having to complete its deceleration to a safe entry velocity after encountering atmosphere). The ideal is to get down to a safe entry speed before atmospheric contact, and point the nose in the direction of travel while still in vacuum. Having aerodynamic forces flip the ship from tail-first to nose-first like a dart thrown backwards is not optimal...

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Neither the centripetal force nor the lateral displacement from the rotation are in the direction of the main drive (though the latter is, in this example, momentary).

It's still not called a lateral acceleration, that's the force a car or aircraft endures during hard cornering, and hence a passenger perceive in the opposite direction.

The net effect on the ship isn't lateral acceleration, but the local effects at a distance from the center of mass, are definitely lateral (and would need to be addressed by an inertial compensation system).

Yes, regardless of what it's called, the yaw/roll/pitch rotation will require a centripetal force to rotate the passengers at the same rate as the ship, and that force will have to be supplied by the artificial gravity/inertial compensator system.

It's a much more complicated case as the produced grav field have to vary significantly with the radius to the centre of rotation, even in the same room, even changing direction in the same room (around the centre of rotation).

If the grav field is linear (in straight lines), then Coriolis forces will be perceived, i.e. things will not fall straight down but in a curve to the side. To counteract that the grav field would have to be curved, which is perhaps theoretically possible, but I have no idea how that would be generated.

CT A13, p26:
_ _ Gravity: The subsidized liner has grav plates built into its flooring. These plates produce standard gravity within the ship's interior. Acceleration compensators are also installed t o negate the effects of high acceleration and lateral G forces while maneuvering. The passengers on the ship would be unable to tell whether they were moving through space or grounded on a planet without looking outside.

If we take that literally, the artificial gravity/inertial compensator system will certainly have to generate curved (circular) grav fields.


Something like this:

 

[AnotherDilbert]

I do not think the inertial compensation system could completely cancel the forces generated by a tailslide (aerobatic maneuver with a very fast rotation in pitch, link to Wikipedia). The Type T would only perform this maneuver on atmospheric entry (as a tail-first re-entry rather than starting with a quarter-loop into a stall), and even then only inadvertently (having to complete its deceleration to a safe entry velocity after encountering atmosphere).

The artificial gravity/inertial system is limited to a max strength, max acceleration. Up to a total of that max accel it should cancel most of the perceived acceleration. Above that max the perceived acceleration would be felt, I presume (see TNE FFS).

Not that there is any need to do such acrobatic manoeuvres with an 4 G m-drive...

 

[Grav_Moped]

As noted, a Type T isn't going to be doing a tailslide on purpose. It should be using its wings to generate significant lift in turns, though (trading speed for maneuver Gs isn't a bad exchange when top speed is limited by hull heating anyhow...).

One justification for the impractical layout (overly long, huge wings) is that it's designed to dogfight in gas giant atmospheres. Now, I don't know if that's actually viable under Traveller combat rules -- Classic and its successors don't speak to that, but it's very much in keeping with Mongoose's interpretations -- but I'll accept it. Always thought CT used a submarine-hunt model for that, rather than dogfights.

I'd have designed it differently for that (dogfighting) mission, as a very long prolate spheroid with fore-aft swinging (or spar-pivoting) wings to enable high-speed flight in either nose- or tail-first orientation, retractable grid fins (wikipedia) at the nose, and wrap-around folding fins as on the Hydra 70 2.75" rocket (also wikipedia) at the tail. The wings and fins wouldn't need control surfaces because airflow would be controlled with artificial gravity fields. Might draw that one up just for kicks...