Re: FT3 DEVELOPMENT QUESTION: FTL

On Wed, Nov 04, 2015 at 11:37:26AM +1100, Robert N Bryett wrote:
>An interesting question is “do your jump-points move relative to the
planets etc. in their solar-systems, and if so by how much?” even in
the outer solar-system, orbital velocities are high (Neptune’s average
is 5.43km/s) so if the jump-point is somehow “fixed” relative to
that orbit, minefields, space-ships, orbital fortresses etc. would have
to accelerate constantly to maintain station. This might impact on the
practicality of a “close defence” of jump points.

There's a trick you can do with that: statites, which use a solar sail
to modify their orbits on a continuous basis. This was proposed for
example for a sky-stationary satellite over the poles. Nobody's built
one yet, but the maths appears to be valid.

(Which is not to deny your point, but rather to suggest what such
minefields, fortresses, etc., might look like.)

R