[gurps] Space Transport Costs at TL10

[Hal]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: gurpsnet-l-bounces at sjgames.com 
> [mailto:gurpsnet-l-bounces at sjgames.com] On Behalf Of Onno Meyer
> Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 1:38 AM
> To: The GURPSnet mailing list
> Subject: [gurps] Space Transport Costs at TL10
> 
> I have the first draft of a TL10 shuttle with a 20-ton 
> payload for $3M. The maintenance rules in VE are very 
> generalized, not for daily reentry, and the more specific 
> rules in GT are only for that background (with CG and 
> reactionless thrusters), but I guesstimate the cost is below 
> $40,000 per launch, i.e. less than $1 per pound. 

I seem to recall that there were rules for how much DR a space craft must
have to avoid the Damage from re-entry.  Might it not be possible to
extrapolate rules for repairs to armor that undergo a given amount of
continual damage?  I seem to recall something to the effect that for every X
points of damage, the armor would ablat somewhat and degrade.  So if 2
minutes of exposure to high re-entry heats would inflict Y points of damage,
it should be relatively easy to determine how much damage is done to the
armor and needs to be repaired for each incident of re-entry.