posted
Darkstar, if you activate a cloak whilst on a planetary surface there would be a visible rippling effect, in which case the ships would detect you from orbit and blow the poo hooties out of you. That just isn't a viable option.
Before you say it, I know they did that in ST IV. But that IMHO was a big fup up.
posted
The effect may be more noticable from orbit than it is from the ground. I think the only referece to that phenomenon was the time the were talking about the possibility of a cloaked Romulan base on...was it Galorndon Core?
------------------ "You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off the ole' Lone Ranger And you don't mess around with Jim." Aban's Illustration www.alanfore.com
posted
Nimrod: When constructing submarines, present-day engineers have to contend with multiples of atmospheric pressure. A starship's hull would only have to contend with one internal (and momentary multiples external from weapons strikes, but that is an energy defense issue). I doubt that a vessel's hull is depressurized for standard refits (can you imaging fixing the inside of a starship wearing a spacesuit?), but it would be upon decommissioning and mothballing.
Evidence: during the baryon sweep, the entire crew was to be offloaded. This would have been the perfect time to depressurize the hull if it was required.
------------------ Faster than light - no left or right.
posted
A fairly constant internal pressure load wouldn't be that big of a problem, you simply pick a material that has a yield strength above that constant load (viable with today's materials).
The difficulty involves a changing pressure differential, either externally or internally. Most aircraft for instance have a set internal pressure, but they are forced to contend with varying external pressures as altitude increases. In effect, the aircraft is constantly contracting or expanding in flight (something to think about on your next flight). This in turn causes the materials to be subjected to fatigue stresses which CAN and DO cause failure below the material's yield strength.
Starships that do not regularly land on planets with atmospheres should only have to contend with the constant internal pressure vs. space vacuum condition and should be easily (from a materials standpoint) designed to meet these conditions. Those that can land probably have factors of safety and routine inspections, just as aircraft of today do, to ensure that the contracting/expanding loads do not initiate a crack.
posted
The BoP cloaked on the surface in ST4, and the holoship cloaked on the surface in ST9. Apparently, claoking on a planet is viable. The only reason the holoship was visible when they drained the lake was because it still had water running down it.
------------------ We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. "Wowsers!" -Star Trek: Series ?: "A Pair o' Docs, part II"
posted
Thanks guys, that was very satisfactional. Jelly-turnips are on me!
About the old BoP's primitive cloak, the ripples only occur when the area/light behind the field is moved in relation to it, such as the stars far behind Kruge. Were it on the ground, the background wouldn't move at all, and we did see that the ripples weren't visible upclose. Although that woman should've gotten one hell of an electric chock.
What I find apocryphal is the fact that you cannot fire through a cloak field, but you can apparently have gigantic sheets of glass and a fat man transported through it at will...
------------------ Here lies a toppled god, His turnip not a small one. We did but build his pedestal, A narrow and a tall one.
posted
It's not that you can't fire through it, it's that the ship doesn't have enough power left when the cloak is active to fire weapons. At least that's the explanation I've always heard.
Galorndon Core was a planet in the TNG ep the Romulan dude defected. I think.
------------------ "You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off the ole' Lone Ranger And you don't mess around with Jim." Aban's Illustration www.alanfore.com
posted
Yes, I didn't mean the cloak is impregnable, but if energy is the problem then you could at least fire torpedoes or jettison mines, they can't all be disabled by the cloak. As this has never been attempted, however, there must be something else.
------------------ Here lies a toppled god, His turnip not a small one. We did but build his pedestal, A narrow and a tall one.
-Tleilaxu Epigram
[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited March 01, 2001).]
posted
I guess the Defiant comes close to a ship with a cloak to drop land mines.
As for the landing struts on the Defiant, I'm sure once Voyager returns all ship with the landing capability will be refitted to be able to land on planetary surfaces.
It would also be a good excuse to show that Defiants are built on the Utopia Planitia surface yards...
------------------ "Oh for fuck's sake, stop your moaning, If you fancy a threesome at this time of night, you can't get start getting choosey about which particular three! -Queer As Folk, UK
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