Kytheros wrote:Technically, I think it might be possible. At least, atmospheric flight, for brief periods, and at low velocities. Why you'd ever need to is beyond me, however.
As for basing ... while I think it is theoretically possible, it'd be far too inefficient and far too great a drain on the thruster bunkerage.
...snip...
Well I suppose if you figured out a way to catapult launch them and then to catch them for landing.
A hand held impeller drive missile has a wedge 10's of meters across. A CM is 10 km across but its oversized for the 12.5 ton mass. How big is it for a 20,000 ton mass. That is how deep a hole you are going to divide into its componet molecules every time the impellers are lite off if they can light off.
Though now that I really think about it all you need is enough contergrav plates for that 20,000 ton mass. So anything is possible. Wonder how many missiles and other stuff you give up for that many plates? Doesn't seem all that effcient as why else do pinnaces have the airfoils in the first place.
Seems a lot easier to just base them in space.
Probably more than anyone wanted or needed to know, Including me.
T2M