Air leak on a Star Trek-style shuttle - what happens?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the scenario of a Star Trek-style shuttle experiencing an air leak after being hit, focusing on the implications for the crew's safety and the narrative mechanics of incapacitating characters without permanent injury. The scope includes theoretical considerations of cabin pressure, oxygen deprivation, and potential narrative solutions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest reviewing Star Trek episodes for examples of air depletion scenarios, noting that shuttles typically have protective measures like force fields and replicators.
  • There is a proposal that an alien spacecraft could rescue the crew, with suggestions for potential alien factions such as Romulans or Klingons.
  • One participant expresses concern that once oxygen deprivation leads to unconsciousness, permanent brain damage may have already occurred.
  • Another participant suggests that turbulence could incapacitate the crew, comparing their situation to eggs in a shaken box, implying that head trauma could be a narrative device.
  • Discussion includes the malfunction of CO2 filters in Apollo 13, raising questions about the time it takes for gas buildup and crew awareness of system failures.
  • Some participants argue that advanced spacecraft should have backup oxygen systems similar to those in 20th-century airplanes, questioning the lack of safety measures in futuristic settings.
  • There is a humorous exchange about the narrative convenience of ships sinking despite advanced technology, with references to plot advancement and thoughtful writing.
  • One participant raises questions about the size of the leak, the potential for explosive decompression, and whether the leak occurs in a vacuum or atmosphere, suggesting that small leaks could be managed with alarms and protective gear.
  • A suggestion is made to include an android on board to address leaks, noting their independence from air but also the potential risks of malfunctioning AI.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the plausibility of air leaks and safety measures in Star Trek shuttles, with no clear consensus on the best narrative approach or the technical implications of such scenarios.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about the effectiveness of emergency systems, the nature of the air leak, and the reliability of technology in the narrative context. The discussion does not resolve the technical details of cabin pressure or the physiological effects of oxygen deprivation.

dbaezner
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Hi. I'm writing a space opera with your typical Star Trek-style shuttle. In the story, the ship is hit and begins leaking air. I want to knock out the characters (e.g., due to reduced oxygen before they can be rescued) without permanently injuring them due to loss of pressure or other effects caused by the leak. The Wikipedia page on cabin pressure was over my head.

Thanks
Dirk
 
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You should review ST episodes (is this OS, TNG or what?) involving characters in situations where the air is running out.
Generally an ST shuttle is protected by a force field and air is produced either from store or by replicators. The shuttle will need to be without power or emergency generators and crew incapacitated in another way. But still ... it may be that enough air could escape before the emergency systems seal the breach to make the crew pass out. You want to look up the effects of oxygen deprivation in general rather than cabin pressure stuff.
 
And you might get them out of Simon's predicament by having an alien spacecraft pick them up. Chose Romulan, Klingon, or "other".
 
dbaezner said:
Hi. I'm writing a space opera with your typical Star Trek-style shuttle. In the story, the ship is hit and begins leaking air. I want to knock out the characters (e.g., due to reduced oxygen before they can be rescued) without permanently injuring them due to loss of pressure or other effects caused by the leak. The Wikipedia page on cabin pressure was over my head.

Thanks
Dirk
From what little I've read it appears that once oxygen starvation has reached the point to induce unconsciousness, permanent brain damage has likely already occurred.
 
ST shuttles have a built in easy way to knock em all out shake the ship they don't have seat belts they would be like eggs in a shoe box being shaken. big enough turbulence they all die just enough to get head trauma should be possible.
 
How fast does it have to be? Apollo 13's crew was nearly killed by their CO2 filters not working. It would take a decent amount of time for the gas to build up, but if a system was malfunctioning, they might not even be aware of it.

I know in Star Trek the ship is help together by force fields and they can replicate air pretty easily.
 
The system wasn't malfunctioning, the filters were exhausted. They could only absorb so much CO2.
 
Even 20th century commercial airplanes had oxygen masks that dropped down if needed. You would think some similar backup would be in place in a more advanced craft in a riskier environment.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Even 20th century commercial airplanes had oxygen masks that dropped down if needed. You would think some similar backup would be in place in a more advanced craft in a riskier environment.
That's always my favorite grumble. "The ship was sinking rapidly." Okay, so if this is the 24th Century*, why don't they have things to stop ships from sinking? *25th and half Century for you Duck Dodgers fans.
 
  • #10
Noisy Rhysling said:
That's always my favorite grumble. "The ship was sinking rapidly." Okay, so if this is the 24th Century*, why don't they have things to stop ships from sinking?
Maybe for the same reason that the moment you turn the power off, the orbit starts to decay. :woot:
 
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  • #11
DaveC426913 said:
Maybe for the same reason that the moment you turn the power off, the orbit starts to decay. :woot:
you mean plot advancement?
 
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  • #12
I like plots that are advanced through thoughtful writing.

And I know those are few and far between.
 
  • #13
Depends on how large a leak. Would it cause explosive decompression? Does the leak occur in vacuum or in atmosphere? Is atmosphere toxic? Small leaks would generate an alarm(big ones too) and could be patched. Crew could don suits(given time) or breathing gear depending on outside pressure(or vacuum).
If as noted a force field exists to protect shuttle, no problem as long as field is ok.
Why not have a android aboard to fix any leaks etc. They don't need air. But I suppose if they go bad then they might let all the others "terminate". Can't always trust these AIs you know!
 

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