FIREFLY EPISODE DISCUSSIONS

when did serenity get weapons???

POSTED BY: WYTCHCROFT
UPDATED: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 07:55
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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 9:51 AM

WYTCHCROFT


ok ok - so my brain may be frozen here but -

Mal fires at the Reavers in the BDM...
where did the weapon come from???

the train job points out the lack of arms - and in OMR it's Vera that saves the day...

so - again, when with the weaponry? - was it some kind of tool???

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 9:58 AM

GORRAMGROUPIE


It's a gun from the settlement where Book was, although I don't know how they fired it without O2. They also take it off at the end.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 10:03 AM

WYTCHCROFT


thanks - that was Gorram handy to know!


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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 10:07 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE


It was a hood ornament.



Jayne chose it.




Even the littlest Joss chicks are absolutely kickass
Banners, Avatars, LJ Icons and other fun stuff at www.desktophippie.com

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 10:13 AM

MISTERG


Wasn't that (the hood ornament) the kid taking the dirt nap with baby Jesus? :D

------------
Best movie villain name ever: Felix La Poubelle

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 10:14 AM

WYTCHCROFT



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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 10:56 AM

DAVESHAYNE


Quote:

Originally posted by gorramgroupie:
It's a gun from the settlement where Book was, although I don't know how they fired it without O2.



Assuming it uses a gunpowder type propellant it doesn't need an external source of oxygen to fire. The whole thing with Vera needing a case in OMR is therefor either a science mistake on the part of ME or a special situation in which that particular gun needs oxygen to fire for no reason that anybody can really think of. Considering that the only thing Joss knows about science is that it involves lots of blinking lights it is rather amazing that they only had that one glaring mistake. I'm not counting the dozens of planets hundreds of moons that are all as close to earth as possible thing since that was a deliberate departure from scientific accuracy to promote the kind of story they were telling.

David

'Geeks can't admit that anything worthwhile was invented before 1981. Soon, "making cocoa" will be called "milk hacking."' - Lore Sjoberg

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 11:05 AM

MISTERG


Quote:

Originally posted by wytchcroft:



HAHAH. Reminds me of the Jesus Christ Action Figure set... "Now with Walk on Water action!"

------------
Best movie villain name ever: Felix La Poubelle

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 11:19 AM

NVGHOSTRIDER


Oh, my lord. There you are.

Propellent (such as gunpowder) requires oxygen as an accellerant to fully force the projectile from the casing throught the barrel of a fire arm. Also, oxygen is required to complete the gas mixture that cycles both gas piston and blowback firearm actions. As for the strange "whirring" sound we hear from weapons on the 'verse I assume it could either be because the weapons use a caseless cartige and require an electrical charge as opposed to a stricken primer to detonate the propellent (although you do see brass cartriges on VERA and witness ejected casing flying through the air in other scenes nullifying my whole point) or the powder is ignited electronically. It is an assumption powder is used, but I think a more stable propellent that is electrically ignited is used. But like most things 'verse wise, it is all assumption.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 11:44 AM

WYTCHCROFT


interesting... yeh, i always assumed electrcial (i love the whir - always stick it in me fics) but figured the 'battery' (?) gets ejected when spent - to fudge the cartridge issue...

obviously there are different kinds of - and i aint gun minded and -

exits in search of cigarettes...

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 12:32 PM

NBZ


Quote:

Originally posted by daveshayne:
Assuming it uses a gunpowder type propellant it doesn't need an external source of oxygen to fire. The whole thing with Vera needing a case in OMR is therefor either a science mistake on the part of ME or a special situation in which that particular gun needs oxygen to fire for no reason that anybody can really think of.



Apparently at the time of writing, there was a massive debate over whether Vera needed oxygen, and the scientific reply was that it did. Not for any unknown reason but how that gun functioned on scientific principle. (No idea what exactly, but they got outside opinion on the matter.)

On the other hand the "turbine" engines that Serenity has would not work too well, if they are based of any current design.

For a show where science made the producers head hurt, it got a lot right.

and the "fuel" would probably have to be of an interesting mix too.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 12:41 PM

ADAMWANKENOBI



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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 12:54 PM

NVGHOSTRIDER


I love the ponderings of the stuff in the 'verse. I think the external turbines were used within the atmosphere of planets and moons. which they had oxygen to operate in. If I'm wrong, meh. There is always some explaination to be invented by someone much smarter than I.

We could always say "Powered by Buddy Christ".

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 12:59 PM

WYTCHCROFT


Quote:

Originally posted by Adamwankenobi:



AAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! you made me remember star wars weekly - as if i wasn't geek referential enuff! the first ever jedi mentioned outside of A NEW HOPE... (pre-splinter even) was...

get this...

DON WAN KEEHOTEY

ah ha ha mwa ha ha ha (it's the ruttin truth!)


mine is an evil laugh



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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:01 PM

NBZ


Quote:

Originally posted by nvghostrider:
I love the ponderings of the stuff in the 'verse. I think the external turbines were used within the atmosphere of planets and moons.



That is the smart answer (though then there is the question of steering in space... but then again there are always more questions.), but does not cover re-entry into atmo. Airflow is the wrong way around for turbine engines.

As always the plausible answer is "This is the future, dude! things have moved on by 500 years." holds sway because, well, there may be a way to adapt the design to turn them into regular rocket engines for re-entry. (close off the top side, throw in the fuel mixture, ignite. Probably much harder actually doing it.)

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:04 PM

WYTCHCROFT


can Inara's shuttle break atmo?

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:05 PM

NVGHOSTRIDER


I completely forgot about their use during re-entry. Now I am just plain baffled.

C'mon smart folks. Invent a reason already!

Still siding with Buddy Christ here.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:10 PM

NBZ


Quote:

Originally posted by wytchcroft:
can Inara's shuttle break atmo?



yes. From OoG:

Quote:

INARA: What's her range?

MAL:Standard short. She'll break atmo from a wide orbit. Get you where you need to go, bring you back home again.



@NVGHOSTRIDER: Some manipulation to turn it into a regular rocket engine would work. We will leave it to the engineers and give them about 500 years to figure out how.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:14 PM

WYTCHCROFT


Quote:

Originally posted by nbz:
Quote:

Originally posted by wytchcroft:
can Inara's shuttle break atmo?



yes. From OoG:

Quote:

INARA: What's her range?

MAL:Standard short. She'll break atmo from a wide orbit. Get you where you need to go, bring you back home again.




thanks:) - my tiny mind is sluggish today - OoG is only my second favourite episode (d'oh!)

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:27 PM

NVGHOSTRIDER


Yeah. I guess the smart folks can go ahead and use their time on more fruitful persuits other than breakin' stuffs, shooting guns, chasin' skirt, and drinkin'. Don't gotta know how it works, only that we can use it to break stuff, shoot, chase skirt, and to drink.

Interplanetary beer run!

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:36 PM

FARFLY


Quote:

Originally posted by nbz:


On the other hand the "turbine" engines that Serenity has would not work too well, if they are based of any current design.

For a show where science made the producers head hurt, it got a lot right.

and the "fuel" would probably have to be of an interesting mix too.



Not exactly on topic, but as for engine design:

"Performance and Powerplants:
Primarily powered by 2 wing mounted Smith & Davis SD-2595 (95,000 lb) turbofan and solar induction engines, she can achieve a maximum airspeed of mach 2 (1484 mph) at 1000 Meters EBSL (Earth Based Sea Level,) and mach 30 (22270 mph) at 100,000 Meters (62 miles) EBSL. During the transitional phase from atmospheric to orbital flight the fan blades rotate to collect photons emitted by a solar source to feed the engines keeping the relative thrust ratio comparable to it's atmospheric rating.
The “Firefly” engine, a Smith & Davis SD-4631 photon reaction drive, was developed on the same principles that drive fusion in a star, (4 1H + 2 e --> 4He + 2 neutrinos + 6 photons.) The reaction produces enough thrust to propel the ship to 643,738 kph (400,000 mph) taking it approximately 16 days to travel 1 AU. (The Astronomical Unit is the distance from the Earth to the Sun, 149,597,871 kilometers.) Although very reliable, this reaction produces large volumes of plasma as hot as the surface of a star. Thermal panels on the outside of the engine dissipate the plasma and heat that builds up during the process typically glowing in a yellowish hue as they cool down."

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:52 PM

NBZ


Quote:


Not exactly on topic, but as for engine design:



I am never on topic, so no worries. If anyone asks, blame me.

I think that only answers the reverse.

turbines when leaving atmo, and then switches to solar induction.

On entering atmo, no idea how the turbines would work. (but I notice they are called "turbofans" not turbines... may be a clue)

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:54 PM

STAMPEDE


I'm pretty sure the reason Vera needed air (not O2 necessarily) to fire was because with nothing to press against, the auto-loading mechanism would jam up, as all the gas from the explosion would be able to pass out the barrel without difficulty.

A non-automatic weapon, like a revolver, wouldn't have this problem.

There's two kinds of people in this world: those with loaded guns, and those who dig.
Now DIG.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:57 PM

TPAGE


Regarding firing a weapon in space: Joss comments in the OMR commentary track that they made a mistake. They received the advice that Vera would require oxygen and as such filmed it like that. Once production finished on the episode they found out otherwise at which point it was too late to re-film.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

And if someday on some little piss-ant moon/My hand is a little too slow, or my aim a little bit off/At least I’ll go down fighting, not lying abed surrounded by quacks - "Sir Warrick" by Geezer

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 1:57 PM

DAVESHAYNE


Quote:

Originally posted by nvghostrider:
Oh, my lord. There you are.

Propellent (such as gunpowder) requires oxygen as an accellerant to fully force the projectile from the casing throught the barrel of a fire arm. Also, oxygen is required to complete the gas mixture that cycles both gas piston and blowback firearm actions.



Wrong, I am sad to say, on all three points.

Gunpowder does include it's own oxidizer. http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006051903625

Gas action explained here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-operated_reloading

Blowback action explained here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowback_%28arms%29

You will note that in neither case is any outside atmosphere being utilized or required.

David

'Geeks can't admit that anything worthwhile was invented before 1981. Soon, "making cocoa" will be called "milk hacking."' - Lore Sjoberg

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 2:00 PM

NBZ


Quote:

Originally posted by TPage:
Regarding firing a weapon in space: Joss comments in the OMR commentary track that they made a mistake. They received the advice that Vera would require oxygen and as such filmed it like that. Once production finished on the episode they found out otherwise at which point it was too late to re-film.



You sure? I thought I heard the opposite...

Probably need to re watch it. *sigh* work work work.

@DAVESHAYNE: I think Stampede may have hit the nail on the head. Since you seem to know a lot about this subject, is that true? (EDIT - from your links I assume you mean it is not correct?)

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 2:02 PM

TPAGE


It's been a while since I listened to the commentary. So I may be mixing my facts up.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

And if someday on some little piss-ant moon/My hand is a little too slow, or my aim a little bit off/At least I’ll go down fighting, not lying abed surrounded by quacks - "Sir Warrick" by Geezer

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 2:09 PM

NVGHOSTRIDER


Okay, I forgot being able to fire a weapon under water. (Yeah, I'm too lazy to check out the links but oh well, you're right, I'm wrong. You're the the best golfer, I'm the worst. You are extremely attractive and me, not so much. )

So yeah, the scary part is that the projectile fired in outerspace will never lose its momentum or trajectory unless influenced by an outside force. So if Serenity were to make a quick run in the same direction Jayne fired and suddenly stopped for some reason than Jayne might have actually shot Serenity on accident?

Maybe not. Jayne didn't miss.

Okay, just talking out my ass now.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 2:15 PM

NBZ


Quote:

It's been a while since I listened to the commentary. So I may be mixing my facts up.


Probably me that is confused. Thought I would listen to the commentary of Safe to make sure. Popped in the DVD. It has no commentary for Safe. Might had read it somewhere then. Probably the Visual Companion.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 2:23 PM

TPAGE


Try watching the commentary for Our Mrs. Reynolds. Right around the time Jayne fires Vera if I remember correctly.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

And if someday on some little piss-ant moon/My hand is a little too slow, or my aim a little bit off/At least I’ll go down fighting, not lying abed surrounded by quacks - "Sir Warrick" by Geezer

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 2:42 PM

NBZ


sorry, I meant OMR, not Safe. Still can't find the commentary.

Dunno if it is sleep deprivation or just thelack of a commentary but I swear I remember hearing joss (or at least someone) talk about that somewhere!

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 5:47 PM

DAVESHAYNE


Quote:

Originally posted by nvghostrider:
Okay, I forgot being able to fire a weapon under water. (Yeah, I'm too lazy to check out the links but oh well, you're right, I'm wrong. You're the the best golfer, I'm the worst. You are extremely attractive and me, not so much. )



No need to feel dumb. I just knew something you didn't. I'm sure you know things I don't as well. Besides the whole needing oxygen to fire thing is a common misconception.

Quote:

So yeah, the scary part is that the projectile fired in outerspace will never lose its momentum or trajectory unless influenced by an outside force. So if Serenity were to make a quick run in the same direction Jayne fired and suddenly stopped for some reason than Jayne might have actually shot Serenity on accident?


Vaguely possible. Of course at the kinds of speeds that spaceships travel at any random bit of junk that falls off a ship is a potential hazard in that regard.

David

'Geeks can't admit that anything worthwhile was invented before 1981. Soon, "making cocoa" will be called "milk hacking."' - Lore Sjoberg

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Tuesday, September 25, 2007 7:32 PM

ROCKETJOCK


There were a few threads on the "O2 or Not O2" question some time back. The eventual consensus was that you really don't need atmo to use a firearm, but, unless the weapon in question was designed to function in the extreme conditions of space, you'd probably damage it badly after only a few rounds. For example, you could expect exposure to hard vacuum to cause boil-off of any lubricants, and probably screw up various seals due to loss of volitiles.

So while the exact reason why Vera had to get dressed up was wrong, Jayne was right to be protective of his best girl.

"She's tore up plenty. But she'll fly true." -- Zoë Washburn

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 6:18 AM

NVGHOSTRIDER


Imagine sitting somewhere on the otherside and you get asked how you bought it.

"So, how'd you die?"

"We flew through someones dumped sewage at light speed and were disintergrated by someones s#!$."

How bad would that suck?

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 9:46 AM

DAVESHAYNE


Quote:

Originally posted by RocketJock:
So while the exact reason why Vera had to get dressed up was wrong, Jayne was right to be protective of his best girl.



That I accept.

David

'Geeks can't admit that anything worthwhile was invented before 1981. Soon, "making cocoa" will be called "milk hacking."' - Lore Sjoberg

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 9:51 AM

WYTCHCROFT


wow - what an interesting, educational and sleep deprived thread!:)

love the confused middle:)

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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 12:35 PM

RIVERFLAN


I'll just agree with everyone, cause I have NO knowledge about guns. All I know is you put bullets in somehow and then aim one end at the guy you want to shoot. (those things are called bullets, right?)

I've always assumed that this is a shiny futuristic gun, it needs oxygen to be its super-shiny self

And, daveshayne, your punctuation on your quote is a little off. It should be:
"Geeks can't admit that anything worthwhile was invented before 1981. Soon, 'making cocoa' will be called 'milk hacking.'" - Lore Sjoberg

Not trying to be rude or anything, just trying to help



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My favorite quotes:



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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 1:15 PM

DAVESHAYNE


Quote:

Originally posted by RiverFlan:
And, daveshayne, your punctuation on your quote is a little off. It should be:
"Geeks can't admit that anything worthwhile was invented before 1981. Soon, 'making cocoa' will be called 'milk hacking.'" - Lore Sjoberg



Well the original quote has the double quotes around making cocoa and milk hacking to represent air quotes. In order to preserve the proper text representation of air quotes I had to resort to single quotes to enclose the quote as a whole or risk confusing people about the extent and nestingness of my quote. Plus all due respect to those who worship at the alter of the MLA and University of Chicago but I've got my very own style manual. Right here.



David

'Geeks can't admit that anything worthwhile was invented before 1981. Soon, "making cocoa" will be called "milk hacking."' - Lore Sjoberg

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Thursday, September 27, 2007 5:05 PM

TRAVELER


My guess is the temperature. As the temperature drops the grease used in automatic weapons freeze and jams the weapon. This was common in the Korean War. Or the zero atmosphere causes the grease to evaporate and again the weapon jams.

After Jayne fires the first round it would not take long before the atmosphere escapes. Were talking milliseconds here. But the gun may retain heat from the first round and keep the grease soft.

As Jayne would say "A lot of ifs".

Another question to ponder is how did Jayne aim Vera? He could not look down the sights with her wraped up in that suit. He really was a expert with weapons to pull that off.


http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731
Traveler

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Thursday, September 27, 2007 6:21 PM

MOBBEX


Quote:

Try watching the commentary for Our Mrs. Reynolds. Right around the time Jayne fires Vera if I remember correctly.



W... wait! WAIT! There's a commentary for Our Mrs. Reynolds? Where !?

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Wednesday, October 3, 2007 9:06 PM

MOOSE


That's what I'm wondering, Mobbex.
I'm guessing that TPage was mistaken.
(if not, SOMEONE has some explaining to do....)


However, Joss did mention the mistake with Vera in one of the web interviews on the old F*X site. They got bad info from the so-called "expert" and by the time they realized it, it was too late.

Check out the videos in the media section here:

http://www.foxhome.com/firefly/main.html

I think that particular interview is there, but I'm not sure. (I'm on dial-up)

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Thursday, October 4, 2007 2:38 AM

JONGSSTRAW


Quote:

Originally posted by nvghostrider:
There is always some explaination to be invented by someone much smarter than I.


Not saying I'm smarter than anyone, but here ya go :
The flux capacitor is connected to the starboard nacell.
The phase inducers are oonnnected to the plasma relays.
The inverse tachyon beam from the deflector dish creates a static warp shell
The pattern buffers combine with the sensor array to enable anti-matter containment.

and the circle...it goes round and round.


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Monday, December 31, 2007 6:58 PM

RIVERFLAN


And in English, that means?

Quote:

Originally posted by traveler:

Another question to ponder is how did Jayne aim Vera? He could not look down the sights with her wraped up in that suit. He really was a expert with weapons to pull that off.



Remember his Miracle with the Bent Scope

@)~*~*~*$)~*~*~*)~(*~*~*~($*~*~*~(@
http://fans4writers.com/ support the WGA writers strike!
#~%~~*~~~&~~~*~~%~#
My favorite quotes:

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 5:02 AM

THEEISBAER


How did the cannon that was mounted on top of Serenity fire without atmo? Simple. Even in our present time, the propellent in any firearm does not NEED air. Both black powder and modern smokeless powder create their own oxygen through some of the chemicals which are part of their makeup (potassium nitrate, in the case of blackpowder). That is what causes normally slow burning chemicalsto burn fast enough to get the required velocities. It may not be quite as effecient in a vacuum, but then again, the projectiles have almost nothing to resist their flight, either.


Your friendly "weapon-monger", The Eisbaer!

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:37 AM

LEIF


Old thread, but I can't resist.

When Jayne describes Vera, he mentions the custom trigger mechanism. It could easily be a mechanism that would indeed need lubricants to function properly (as mentioned earlier) that will not function if boiled off.

NASA had to go to great lengths to keep mechanisms functioning properly in space. Moving parts would dry weld together unless protected properly. I think dry graphite powder is a lubricant that works in space, but I am not sure.

I assumed that they had the science correct, not for the ammo, but for the custom mechanisms. Also the distances would require the most accurate of Jaynes weapons, hence Vera.

I assumed the big gun was hardened for work in low/no atmosphere, even if it was gunpowder/cordite/whatever scifi propellant used.

I guess it could also be a case of a diehard fan going to any length to justify a favored show from spooging up.

Leif

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 3:06 PM

TRAVELER


Gordy would just place the thermal reactor coil into the plasma condenser while filtering nano bits with anti-matter suspended in a hyper chamber and finally the captain would say "Make it so."

What is so friggen hard about that.


http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731
Traveler

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 8:59 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


USSR used dry graphite in their space program, including use as pencil lead.
Graphite in space programs is known to contaminate the comupters, making them fail. Failed computers in spacecraft are not readily returned to your local geeksquad for replacement. Also, comsonauts were considered expendable.
NASA avoided having graphite in it's space program. They even spend millions of dollars to develope a "space pen" in order to avoid pencil contaminants. Nasa did not consider craft or astronauts to be expendable.

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:00 PM

OUT2THEBLACK


That'd be a more-valid notion , but the USSR did not use digital electronic computers in their space program in the space-pen era of Apollo...

The Soyuz , and other Russian spacecraft designs were known to use clockwork (gears!) timing and navigation systems as late as 1975 , and probably far later...

American spacecraft and astronauts are still being 'expended' , as recently as 5 years ago , and not because of pencils...14 astronauts in the Shuttle era alone...

Spaceflight involves inherent risks...And , sometimes , sacrifice .

You can look it up later...

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:00 PM

OUT2THEBLACK


Quote:

Originally posted by nvghostrider:
I love the ponderings of the stuff in the 'verse. I think the external turbines were used within the atmosphere of planets and moons. which they had oxygen to operate in. If I'm wrong, meh. There is always some explaination to be invented by someone much smarter than I.

We could always say "Powered by Buddy Christ".



Hey , Our Buddy , Christ powers a lot of things...That's angel tech you're talkin' 'bout there...

As for the gunpowder notions , the 'oxidizer' is a component of the propellant...No added O2 needed to
fire...They probably just asked the wrong egghead about the sciency stuff , but I take it as 'good-enough' that 'canon' , the show , says that Jayne's cannon , Vera , needs oxygen to fire...I think it was a cool reason to shoot through the faceplate of a suit...Maybe Jayne , not thinkin' it through , figured Vera would get too hot and jam if not air-cooled , and failed to account for Book's notion about , " it's cold outside ".

The engine notions ?

The forward section of the thrusting engines is plainly air-breathing , no doubt a scram-jet with a heat-exchanger near the core to cool the intake charge , and internal configuration to manage the airflow bypass-ratio prior to adding combustible fuel , largely Hydrogen , to the mix...Current analog would be a design called 'Scimitar' .

The aft portion of the engine , and its nacelle , works in both an air-breathing mode , ala Scimitar , and a spaceborne mode , with a VASIMR-boosted thrust...Current analog would be the VASIMR design of Astronaut Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz , a brilliant physicist .

VASIMR is an acronym for :
'VAriable-Specific-Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket .

But , LOVE is what keeps her in the air...

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:54 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by out2theblack:
That'd be a more-valid notion , but the USSR did not use digital electronic computers in their space program in the space-pen era of Apollo...

The Soyuz , and other Russian spacecraft designs were known to use clockwork (gears!) timing and navigation systems as late as 1975 , and probably far later...



I may have been unclear by saying "computer" in this age when everybody assumes Bill Gates created 1's and 0's and computers. No computer currently counts ones ot zeros. They are mostly electronic assemblies which redirect and detect electronic voltages, and often are programmed to display these results as ones and zeroes, for humans to understand.
Redirection and detection of electronics is corrupted by the contamination of graphite, which is attracted by the electromagnetic field produced by all controlled electron flow, and which is not moderated by gravity as much in space as is on Earth. Even simple coils and relays are disabled.
Perhaps you are correct to think they did not have electronics technology on board Cosmonaut vehicles, but that must be one heck of a long phone string for the communications equipment. Or was it smoke signals?

The Apollo program also did not have the capability of today's technology, but they at least tried to find a permanent solution (in space pens) for future space work to build upon.
By 1990, the average American new car had more miles of electronic circuitry inside it than the first Apollo craft that completed the moon landing and return trip in 1969.

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