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From: wanttaja@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ronald J Wanttaja)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Hot potatoes not conforming to Star Fleet regulations
Message-ID: <275@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 16-Dec-84 00:00:12 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.275
Posted: Sun Dec 16 00:00:12 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 17-Dec-84 03:22:55 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 57

>  Now the problem with antimatter is that you can't store it in a reactive
>  container i.e. a container made of matter; even Teflon coated polyethylene
>  is out.  Fortunately, it is possible to create electromagnetic (and even
>  gravitational-field) "bottles" which can effectively isolate the antimatter
>  from contact with any matter.  All you need is the FIELD GENERATOR, and a
>  POWER SUPPLY.
>
>  So now the warp drive is damaged beyond repair, the Klingons are coming, and
>  you'd like to abandon ship.  You'll initiate a sequence of commands that
>  will effectively destroy your ship--let's say you set off "controlled"
>  explosions on the bridge, computer center, engineering, etc.  These ex-
>  plosions will disrupt power supplies.  But what happens to the antimatter
>  field-isolation bottles, and the antimatter stored in them??
>  
			    B   O   O   M   !!
>  
>  Once you destroy your ship, you destroy the only thing that keeps your
>  matter and antimatter apart. PLEASE don't argue that the field bottle
>  would survive the self-destuct; electromagnetic bottles are difficult
>  at best to maintain, and are notorious for their power consumption!  And
>  remember--the field-generating equipment has to be OUTSIDE this force
>  field, or else!

True enough, as it goes.  However, it ignores the realities of military
procurement.

*No military procurement organization will obtain hardware that requires
 the continuous application of  power for the continued survival of the
 occupants*

 A submarine does not require power to maintain hull integrity.  A B-52,
 should all eight engines be lost, will glide (not well, but the crew
 has SOME time to get power back)..

 If the NIMITZ loses all power with the control rods out, you can bet there
 will be some manual or pyro device to SAFE THE REACTOR!
 
 There is no reason to believe things will change in Star Fleet's equivalent
 of Systems Command.  The antimatter bottles will be armored; with fail-safe
 internal backup power supplies.  Can you imagine going into battle when
 one hit on the nacelles will vaporize the ship?  The bottles will probably cons consist of a set of batteries (continually charged by the ships main power
 bus), the field generating equipment, and the bottle itself containing the
 anitmatter, all enclosed by either armor (like that used by frontier stations
 "Balance of Terror") or it's own private shields.
 
 Yes, we probably can't figure out how they'd work.  But it's easy enough
 to see why they MUST and why they WILL develop the safety bottles for the
 antimatter!  (Gawd, I'm starting to talk like this stuff is real...:-) 

                                           Ron Wanttaja
					   (ssc-vax!wanttaja)


 "They little knew of brotherhood
 the faith of fighting men,
 Who once to prove their lie was good,
 hanged Colonel Jaques Cretien"