RE: [FT/FB] Maximum ship size

At 15:37 04/12/98 +1100, you wrote:
>It effectively comes down to whether the hull is build strongly enough
>to maintain it's shape under gravity.	Starships would primarily be
>designed for most of the accelerations stress through the drives, but
>for planetary landings, it would need to also accept the stresses via
>landing gear (or a water displacement landing in the nearest ocean).  
>Theoretically, I guess you could land a ship the size of the Death Star
>on a planet, but it would collapse under its own weight or do nasty
>things to the local terrain.
SNIP
>'Neath Southern Skies

I remember an old Heinlein in which massive (colony ship-type) "torch
ships"
took off and landed from the sea.  I seem to recall they were spherical,
but
at any rate it might make a (fairly feeble) excuse to have spacecraft
with
watercraft shaped hulls.

Rob

"Rob Paul

Dept of Zoology
Oxford University
South Parks Road
Oxford
(01865) 271124
----------------------------------------------
"Once again, villainy is rotting meat 
before the maggots of justice!"
"