Length Contraction & FTL Speeds: Are Lower Grades Faster?

[Maximum7]

TL;DR Summary

Question on FTL and Length contraction

I’m not a physicist but let’s say hypothetically ;we have the Millennium Falcon. It’s FTL hyperdrive can go Class 0.5 past lightspeed. Then we have an X-wing which has a Class 1 past lightspeed drive. This is all from the lore. MF is 0.5 and X Wing is 1 but MF is faster. Anyway even though the Class 1 is “faster”; is it due to length contraction at FTL that’s make the lower grade drive faster or am I hopelessly off base?

 

[Ibix]

It is impossible to write a coherent description of something traveling faster than light in special relativity, so your question is like asking what colour is an invisible unicorn. There cannot be an answer in terms of relativity. In particular, length contraction is a phenomenon defined between inertial frames, which necessarily do not exceed lightspeed with respect to one another.

Science fiction is not bound by the laws of physics.

 

[PeterDonis]

Moderator's note: Thread level changed to "I".

 

[PeterDonis]

am I hopelessly off base?

In apparently thinking that somebody actually tried to derive the performance characteristics of spacecraft in Star Wars from relativity physics? Yes.

 

[Maximum7]

In apparently thinking that somebody actually tried to derive the performance characteristics of spacecraft in Star Wars from relativity physics? Yes.

Tons of nerds do this for a living. Trying to make sense of fictional science I always wondered why in Star Wars that 0.5 past lightspeed was faster than 1. Then I was reading about length contraction and then said hmmmm.

I’m not looking for someone to just say “It’s fiction”. Just humor me then.

 

[PeterDonis]

Trying to make sense of fictional science

Is pointless if there is no actual science in the fiction. Star Wars does not have any science in it. They just made stuff up to fit the story.

Just humor me then.

Sorry, we can't answer questions about science that doesn't exist.

Thread closed.