Would it be possible to build a ship out of household items?

chrissifniotis · Post by **chrissifniotis** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 9:58

G'day.

Health threat from cosmic rays - Wikipedia

Essentially, yes. Mostly high energy protons ejected from solar flares and coronal mass ejections. The section on shielding is interesting; hydrogen-rich plastics seems the most likely option.

Post by **Levellass** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 22:28

But the question is, as always with radiation, how long is the exposure? Our astronauts would take more than a year to get to Mars, in that time limit even moderate radiation doses add up. Keen crossed the galaxy in how many games of Paddle War?

troublesomekeen · Post by **troublesomekeen** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 23:43

It may have taken Keen longer than you think to cross the galaxy, especially when Paddle War rounds end up like this:
http://youtu.be/yoJQb0zWiMI
It keeps on going...and going....and going...

thehackercat · Post by **thehackercat** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 23:57

I thought the BWB used some kind of particle drive; a shield that brownian particles pushed on or something. But that doesn't sound like something you'd get from household items I guess.

I just can't see how Keen could make a powered descent with something as small and flimsy as the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket. I mean, the reason the Space Shuttle landed as an unpowered glider was because the engineering challenges concerning how to carry all that extra fuel were pretty mean.

Also, soup cans and rubber cement might hold up well in a slow descent, but how would the control surfaces work? They'd be under considerable stress, even at 80 kn or so. In mid-speed mid-altitude atmospheric flight, excessive rudder input during a turn could pull several chunks of soup can metal free from their rubber-cement connections.

Then, what about a reaction-control system? If Keen uses the Everclear to run his fuel cells, what does he use for the RCS jets when he needs to change attitude in space? What about an orbital-maneuvering system? What could he possibly use to make large orbital maneuvers? Alcohol wouldn't burn in space without an oxidizer, and he'd need to pressurize the fuel lines with something else, probably helium.

Nospike · Post by **Nospike** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 10:10

Yes. Yes it most certainly would. It's completely logical.
making it fly is the impossible part

Bernie · Post by **Bernie** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 13:01

oh wow im in keening_product's sig. i have accomplished something real in life

Post by **Levellass** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 23:47

I just can't see how Keen could make a powered descent with something as small and flimsy as the Bean-with-Bacon Megarocket. I mean, the reason the Space Shuttle landed as an unpowered glider was because the engineering challenges concerning how to carry all that extra fuel were pretty mean.

Indeed, but still physically possible if we use ion propulsion and we have unlimited IQ to make a machine that NASA has only dreamed of. It all depends on what we allow Keen to be capable of, if he's a normal 8 year old boy there's no discussion.

Then, what about a reaction-control system? If Keen uses the Everclear to run his fuel cells, what does he use for the RCS jets when he needs to change attitude in space? What about an orbital-maneuvering system? What could he possibly use to make large orbital maneuvers? Alcohol wouldn't burn in space without an oxidizer, and he'd need to pressurize the fuel lines with something else, probably helium.

Please see my comments on the use of everclear as a hydrogen source for fusion.

Deltamatic · Post by **Deltamatic** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:14

I'd guessed that the BWB engine worked by annihilating everclear and anti-everclear, but this works fits with canon way better, especially the color of the flame.
Sure, a fusion-powered ion thruster would provide less thrust than an antimatter rocket, but even antimatter would speed a trip to Mars to a brisk two weeks, so presumably Keen's space trips cover most of their distance through the hyperspace gates mentioned in Keen 3's story text.

T-Squared · Post by **T-Squared** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 15:33

Deltamatic wrote:I'd guessed that the BWB engine worked by annihilating everclear and anti-everclear...

So it's Everclear and water?

Post by **Levellass** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:54

Also known as American beer.

Bernie · Post by **Bernie** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 13:59

so did anyone make a starship yet?
slowcoaches.

Post by **Levellass** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 6:15

I did, but thanks to the sequester my budget was cut.

Thanks, Obama!

Bernie · Post by **Bernie** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 13:45

yeah i almost finished my ship too but i couldn't stomach eating more damn soup just to use its can.

Post by **Levellass** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:23

The secret is to visit soup kitchens, they have an endless supply. Also hobos.

Roobar · Post by **Roobar** » Sat Jun 08, 2013 20:46

A teenager build a submarine.

At 12, he build a remote-control vehicle that could mop and vacuum the floor.

Coming up next: a bean-with-bacon megarocket

.

So yeah. In a way, he's like a real Commander Keen and is the prove that something likea spaceship could theoretically be build with household items

.