Wait, I know! First, you orient the ship so your main cargo bay is facing at a 90 degree angle (i.e. perpendicular) to the direction of forward momentum. Your attitude jets are on a separate power supply from your atomic engines, I hope, or else you can do this by rotating the internal gyro. Seal off your cargo bay from the rest of the ship. Then open the cargo bay hatch to expel the air, providing thrust at a right angle from your previous course. This shoves you on a slight diagonal, veering away from the projected point of collision. You miss impact very narrowly. The crew says "Hurray, we're saved!" and everyone wants to have a beer with you. What do you mean, wrong?
I like Richard's answer but ... could they really do ALL THAT in half a minute? And just how much much air would that cargo bay have to hold to move them enough?
"Well, no. But it sure would keep everyone else busy while I jumped into the nearest escape pod."
LOL
Remember they buy their Atomic Motors from ACME, and don't bother to maintain them. Do you REALLY think they have an escape pod? You're doooooooomed! And even though it's space, I KNOW you're screaming!
You know ... there's something fishy going on here. The crew JUST happen to be in their spacesuits JUST as the Atomic Rocket Motors fail and JUST as a large meteorite is about to hit them. Am I really the only one thinking "insurance scam"?
There might be no prize for the winner, but at least we'll all know exactly what to do should we ever find ourselves in this predicament. That knowledge could save lives, and is more valuable than any prize!
Well, not more valuable than the S.W.O.R.D. Moonbase perhaps ... or the SpaceX Photonic Space Station ... or the SpaceX Rocket Transporter .... ummm, maybe I need to rethink this ...
Wait, I know! First, you orient the ship so your main cargo bay is facing at a 90 degree angle (i.e. perpendicular) to the direction of forward momentum. Your attitude jets are on a separate power supply from your atomic engines, I hope, or else you can do this by rotating the internal gyro. Seal off your cargo bay from the rest of the ship. Then open the cargo bay hatch to expel the air, providing thrust at a right angle from your previous course. This shoves you on a slight diagonal, veering away from the projected point of collision. You miss impact very narrowly. The crew says "Hurray, we're saved!" and everyone wants to have a beer with you. What do you mean, wrong?
ReplyDeletePanic?
ReplyDeletePray?
ReplyDeleteBlame the nearest person?
ReplyDeleteFeel vindicated in not taking out another year's subscription to Popular Astronautics?
ReplyDeleteSlap the captain, because he's had it coming for months?
ReplyDeleteWake up and realise it was all a dream? And vow never to eat cheese after midnight again ...
ReplyDeleteMake black box recording .... "Don't buy Atomic Rocket Motors from ACME supplies!"
ReplyDeleteOpen port and starboard cargo bay doors so the meteorite passes right through the ship without causing any damage?
ReplyDeleteWhisltle "Always look on the bright side of life"?
ReplyDeleteUse the phasers to vaporise the meteorite?
ReplyDeletePedal REALLY REALLY fast?
ReplyDeleteDie?
ReplyDeleteI like Richard's answer but ... could they really do ALL THAT in half a minute? And just how much much air would that cargo bay have to hold to move them enough?
ReplyDeleteOhhhh .... I know what they do. It's so obvious. Why didn't I think of it before???? All they have to do is ...
ReplyDelete(sadly Toad was killed that very moment in a freak accident involving an uncharted meteorite).
"I like Richard's answer but ... could they really do ALL THAT in half a minute?"
ReplyDeleteWell, no. But it sure would keep everyone else busy while I jumped into the nearest escape pod.
Put the earphones in, turn the volume up on my ipod, take a slug of scotch and hope for the best!
ReplyDelete"Well, no. But it sure would keep everyone else busy while I jumped into the nearest escape pod."
ReplyDeleteLOL
Remember they buy their Atomic Motors from ACME, and don't bother to maintain them. Do you REALLY think they have an escape pod? You're doooooooomed! And even though it's space, I KNOW you're screaming!
"Put the earphones in, turn the volume up on my ipod, take a slug of scotch and hope for the best!"
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good plan for Christmas too!!!!
You know ... there's something fishy going on here. The crew JUST happen to be in their spacesuits JUST as the Atomic Rocket Motors fail and JUST as a large meteorite is about to hit them. Am I really the only one thinking "insurance scam"?
ReplyDeleteThe bad news is there aren't any prizes.
ReplyDeleteThere might be no prize for the winner, but at least we'll all know exactly what to do should we ever find ourselves in this predicament. That knowledge could save lives, and is more valuable than any prize!
ReplyDeleteWell, not more valuable than the S.W.O.R.D. Moonbase perhaps ... or the SpaceX Photonic Space Station ... or the SpaceX Rocket Transporter .... ummm, maybe I need to rethink this ...