Exploring the Plausibility of SF Energy Shield Alternatives

In summary, the conversation discusses the plausibility and potential methods for creating an energy shield similar to those seen in science fiction. The concept of a plasma window is mentioned, along with other potential solutions such as self-repairing or liquid armor. It is noted that current technology and understanding of science do not allow for such advanced shields, and that they would require a significant breakthrough or discovery. The conversation also touches on the idea of using shields as a deterrent and the potential for asymmetrical warfare.
  • #36
Janus said:
Wouldn't have that been exciting television? Watching a bunch of guys sitting around, sipping coffee while operating drones.
The tension and drama from an action adventure show comes from placing your characters in peril. Even the transporter, a invention to allow a quick way of getting characters into the action was a two-edged sword. It could pull them out of trouble just as easily as it put them there. Thus so many plots had to include a reason why they could not use the transporter to return to the ship.

As there are several ways to cook an egg, there are several ways to create tension and danger for characters if that's what you want.

Sabotage? Traitors? Enemy attack on the control ship? There is still plenty tension to go around if that's what you want.

By the time our heroes are marooned on an alien world they are losing anyway, so it won't be the norm as I do not write Star Trek.
 
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  • #37
essenmein said:
As a side note, I would have thought a vehicle based jammer would have a bit more power than 30kW!
Military guys would also like to have more power. Unfortunately, 30 kW jammer is what possible on a single 8x8 truck with current tech.
 
  • #38
Been a few years but, when RAF were practising 'Time over Target' attacks prior to Iraq 1 or 2, their jets' late-morning pass over our local airport, with radars & jammers at 'full military power', knocked out lots of our lab equipment.

Having a dozen high-end data collection systems go 'graaak' and re-boot mid-run was seriously bad news. We could not just resume, we had to cold-start, re-do pre-run suitability checks. One afternoon, the RAF made a second pass and everything went down again. Our late shift kindly completed the pre-run checks, launched half the batch analyses planned...
 

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