Be Excellent To Each Other

In Star Trek lore, the first Starship Enterprise will be built by the year 2245. But today, an engineer has proposed — and outlined in meticulous detail – building a full-sized, ion-powered version of the Enterprise complete with 1G of gravity on board, and says it could be done with current technology, within 20 years. “We have the technological reach to build the first generation of the spaceship known as the USS Enterprise – so let’s do it,” writes the curator of the Build The Enterprise website, who goes by the name of BTE Dan.

This “Gen1” Enterprise could get to Mars in ninety days, to the Moon in three, and “could hop from planet to planet dropping off robotic probes of all sorts en masse – rovers, special-built planes, and satellites.”

Complete with conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail, the BTE website was launched just this week and covers almost every aspect of how the project could be done. This Enterprise would be built entirely in space, have a rotating gravity section inside of the saucer, and be similar in size with the same look as the USS Enterprise that we know from Star Trek.

“It ends up that this ship configuration is quite functional,” writes BTE Dan, even though his design moves a few parts around for better performance with today’s technology. This version of the Enterprise would be three things in one: a spaceship, a space station, and a spaceport. A thousand people can be on board at once – either as crew members or as adventurous visitors.
While the ship will not travel at warp speed, with an ion propulsion engine powered by a 1.5GW nuclear reactor, it can travel at a constant acceleration so that the ship can easily get to key points of interest in our solar system. Three additional nuclear reactors would create all of the electricity needed for operation of the ship.

The saucer section would be a .3 mile (536 meter) diameter rotating, magnetically-suspended gravity wheel that would create 1G of gravity.

The first assignments for the Enterprise would have the ship serving as a space station and space port, but then go on to missions to the Moon, Mars, Venus, various asteroids and even Europa, where the ships’ laser would be used not for combat but for cutting through the moon’s icy crust to enable a probe to descend to the ocean below.

Should get it on Kickstarter.

How fast would the centrifuge be turning relative to the central axis (where you want to get to to get on and off at a door!)

Effects produced by the Coriolis effect also act on the inner ear and can cause dizziness, nausea and disorientation. Experiments have shown that longer periods of rotation reduce the Coriolis forces and its effects. It is generally believed that at 2 rpm or less, no adverse effects from the Coriolis forces will occur. At higher rates some people can become accustomed to it and some do not, but at rates above 7 rpm few if any can become accustomed

Making your way 200m to the centre will be fun to do!

(sorry, just dreaming)

How fast would the centrifuge be turning relative to the central axis (where you want to get to to get on and off at a door!)

Secondly, all these worlds are ours, EXCEPT Europa. Attempt no landings there.

You know, I'm pretty sure I heard that they're attempting landings there real soon now.

The laser won't be used as a weapon? Pah. I've read Known Space books, I know how humanity repelled the Kzinti.

So what would they do with this "Enterprise" then? Drive it around Earth a bit before its decaying orbit made it crash into the ocean.

So what would they do with this "Enterprise" then? Drive it around Earth a bit before its decaying orbit made it crash into the ocean.

I believe the intention is to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, and perhaps even to boldly go where no man has gone before.

Cue millions of Star Wars fans demanding a real Death Star.

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

Cue millions of Star Wars fans demanding a real Death Star.

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

Kalmar's already started it.

It's only going to fire couscous though.

I think the bigger news story here is that the man has clearly invented warp travel, artificial gravity and force shields. Either that or he's hoping that banging some metal into approximate shapes that are on a TV programme will make them "work".

More powerful couscous than you can ever imagine.

Considering the website is still down, and we can't see any of the details regarding "...conceptual designs, ship specs, a funding schedule, and almost every other imaginable detail..." I'm not expecting this to be anywhere close to possible, let alone feasible.

I think the bigger news story here is that the man has clearly invented warp travel, artificial gravity and force shields. Either that or he's hoping that banging some metal into approximate shapes that are on a TV programme will make them "work".

Can't be arsed, to be frank. Why not build an equally useless piece of shit in orbit the size and shape of David Caruso's face?

Can't be arsed, to be frank.

It's a fucking ridiculous idea and I really can't believe people are defending it.

Of course it wouldn't ever happen, but the idea that it's possible is hugely interesting.

It's a fucking ridiculous idea and I really can't believe people are defending it.

Seems okay to me right now:

http://www.buildtheenterprise.org/

It's a fucking ridiculous idea and I really can't believe people are defending it.