Can Serenity Fly in Hover Mode?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of the fictional spacecraft Serenity flying in hover mode, with a focus on its design, stability, and control mechanisms. Participants explore theoretical aspects of flight dynamics, comparing Serenity to real-world aircraft like the Osprey, and consider the challenges of building a remote-controlled (RC) version of the ship.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that Serenity's design resembles that of a jet fighter, relying on wings and control surfaces for normal flight, but questions its stability during hovering due to the placement of the center of gravity.
  • Another participant notes that the Osprey's stability is aided by its technology, including cyclic control and a lower center of mass, but highlights that it still has significant stability issues.
  • A participant expresses skepticism about Serenity's ability to fly, citing its small wings and aerodynamic inefficiencies, particularly the cargo bay's impact on drag.
  • Some participants propose that a high-tech flight stabilization system would be necessary for an RC version of Serenity, while others suggest that simpler designs like quadrotors might be more feasible.
  • There is a discussion about the potential for using servomotors for pitch control in hover mode, with some suggesting that turbines might be more effective than propellers for this application.
  • One participant mentions that Serenity would likely rely solely on thrust vectoring for control, unlike the Osprey, which has dedicated control surfaces.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on Serenity's flight capabilities, with no consensus on whether it could effectively hover or fly. Some believe it would be difficult or impossible to achieve stable flight, while others suggest that hovering might be feasible with the right technology.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge various limitations in their analyses, including the lack of detailed schematics for Serenity and the complexities involved in balancing and controlling such a vehicle.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in aerospace engineering, remote-controlled aircraft design, or the dynamics of flight stability may find this discussion relevant.

  • #31
DaveC426913 said:
You're comparing a Saturn V to a Firefly??

I am fairly certain the Wright brothers would take one look and an F104 Starfighter and laugh their butts off.

I tend to agree here. Just because it's unconventional doesn't mean it wouldn't work. That vertical moment looks like it could be balanced out. The clockwise moment from the cockpit balanced by the counterclockwise moment of the rear end, which sits lower than the pylons, and the centre of mass.
 
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  • #32
Lancelot59 said:
I tend to agree here. Just because it's unconventional doesn't mean it wouldn't work. That vertical moment looks like it could be balanced out. The clockwise moment from the cockpit balanced by the counterclockwise moment of the rear end, which sits lower than the pylons, and the centre of mass.
Yes. We don't actually know how the mass is distributed internally. For all we know, the bilge is very dense.


Additionally, as far as the aerodynamic stability Henry is concerned about, even aircraft today must be computer-controlled to be stable. Many modern jet fighters are minutely controlled on the order of 30 times per second to remain in stable flight, without which they would break up faster than they could fall out of the sky.

It is not unreasonable to suppose that a spacecraft an indeterminate number of centuries in the future might be similarly sophisticated.
 
  • #33
DaveC426913 said:
Yes. We don't actually know how the mass is distributed internally. For all we know, the bilge is very dense.Additionally, as far as the aerodynamic stability Henry is concerned about, even aircraft today must be computer-controlled to be stable. Many modern jet fighters are minutely controlled on the order of 30 times per second to remain in stable flight, without which they would break up faster than they could fall out of the sky.

It is not unreasonable to suppose that a spacecraft an indeterminate number of centuries in the future might be similarly sophisticated.

As some people pointed out to me when I first had this idea, it wouldn't be an easy thing to accomplish. However it is certainly within the realm of possibility. It might not fly as well as it did on the show, but it could certainly fly. We've certainly made much stranger things take flight:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=xSg...sult&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=true
 

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