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Spacecraft
Technology - Hull Modifications and Defensive Screens
The technology discussed here is primarily human-centric. Where deviations in usage or capability exist, they are noted at the end of each subject. Streamlining – Streamlining consists of a hull design that has a drag coefficient low enough to allow for efficient atmospheric flight, movable control surfaces and/or thrusters to direct the motion of the spacecraft, and retractable landing gear capable of supporting the spacecraft in gravitational fields of up to 2G. Ships which do not have streamlining may not safely enter the atmospheres of planets without a functional gravity drive, and their speed and agility will be highly restricted. Hull Stealthing – Suppressing a spacecraft’s detection signature against radar, lidar, and passive EMS sensors is mostly a function of proper hull design, which is then further supplemented with a hull coating of non-radiative energy absorbing material. Stealthing is the province of the military, as such technology is closely controlled and difficult to justify for civilian concerns. Hull stealthing is also expensive, and requires frequent maintenance. It does not protect against very low frequency (VLF) radar emissions, although VLF radar lacks the resolution to pinpoint a detected stealth vessel with any accuracy. Thermoptic Camouflage Systems – A combination of infrared-absorbing hull linings and a fine grid of computer controlled electrochromatic panels allows a spacecraft to become nearly invisible to visible and near-visible spectrum observation. Radar in the 1 micron band and higher, and other high-energy active detection beams such as lidar will not be deterred by thermoptics, and vessels in motion are frequently spotted at close range due to blurring effects around the edges of the ship’s silhouette. Thermoptics systems are also restricted technology, though some science vessels are allowed to employ them in order to remain unobserved by wildlife on planets they visit. Masking Screen – Masking screens are a fairly primitive defensive system that remains a holdover from a much earlier period of interstellar travel, and one that remains in use mostly on civilian starships as protection against Dhaoghissi pulselaser weapons. Liquid water is sprayed in a fine mist about the spacecraft which then freezes into tiny particles of ice in the cold depths of space or else becomes a vapor cloud if the ship is relatively close to a star. In either case, the cloud obscures the ship from visual observation and protects it to a substantial degree from energy weapon fire. Radar, lidar, and passive EMS sensors have difficulty localizing the ship within the cloud. Masking screens work both ways, however, limiting the effectiveness of the ship’s own sensors and energy weapons. Blinder Screen - Blinder screens project a dense aerosol of energy absorbing chemicals and microfine prisms like those found in blinder grenades to block energy beams and sensors. They are more useful than masking screens because they are directional, and only cover approximately one-sixth of the area of a sphere encompassing the ship, allowing for normal weapons fire and sensor operation in the unaffected areas. Blinder screens are used to segregate targets in an engagement, blocking out targets to be dealt with later, and allowing the ship to concentrate fully on other targets with minimal risk from the affected side. ECM Systems– Electronic Counter Measures. ECM systems transmit high-amplitude patterns of electromagnetic “white noise” along the frequencies used by weapon directors and active radar suites, as well as emitting laser beams designed to “dazzle” hostile lidar suites. An active ECM suite shows up clearly on passive EMS and passive mode radar and lidar as an indeterminate “cloud” of signal return, making the jamming spacecraft’s presence easy to detect, but difficult to localize. ECCM
Systems – Electronic Counter-Counter
Measures.
ECCM analyzes ECM jamming patterns from a specific spacecraft, and
transmits
reverse amplitude electromagnetic waves to neutralize them.
Because
there is some delay in signal processing and transmission, as well as
signal
strength losses in reaching the target, ECCM is not as efficient as
ECM.
ECCM must be individually targeted, though if two friendly spacecraft
possess
battle-management links, one may use its ECCM to “soften up” the
jamming
for the other. Multiple ECCM units may not be combined against a
single target in this way, however. |
