[gurps] [VEHICLE] of the week 759 - OHI Automated Heavy Lift Shuttle

[Zan Lynx]

Onno Meyer wrote:
> David wrote:
>> 3000 tons (These are normal 2000 lb tons, right?)  is only about 100
>> shipping containers.  given this is an osekmoi ship, it's going to be
>> usually carrying containerized cargo.  Star ship containers in this
>> setting are nominally 20mX10X10, and will hold smaller (roughly ISO
>> sized) containers if that makes sense for the cargo.  This shuttle
>> looks like it would carry four or five of them.  With suitable cargo
>> handling equipment on the ground, it would only take a couple hours to
>> unload them and then load new ones.  (breaking them down into their
>> component containers would take a while, but that doesn't have to
>> delay the ship.)
> 
> 600 or more tons per container? That requires a big crane, which 
> implies a big starport. Many smaller containers could be faster 
> to load.

While thinking of starship cargo and alternative popped into my mind.

Is a cargo shuttle really necessary for getting the cargo to the ground?

I don't think that it is.

How well would disposable heat shields and parachutes work?  Aim them at 
a shallow body of water for soft landings and pick them up with a ship. 
  Or drop them onto hard ground if the contents are padded enough or not 
fragile.

In The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Heinlein had the Moon delivering cargo 
to Earth this way.

You still need a heavy lift shuttle for the actual lifting of course, 
unless you can build a beanstalk or an electromag accelerator and 
skywheel combo.

But then, I don't think I know the setting this shuttle is intended for.

How about that, I just reviewed the original vehicle posting and it says 
its intended for "from the surface of a planet to orbital factories or 
transfer stations."  Nothing at all is said about how they get back to 
the planet surface. :-)
-- 
Zan Lynx
zlynx at acm.org

"Knowledge is Power.  Power Corrupts.  Study Hard.  Be Evil."