Why would a previously spacefaring civilization become unable to build another interstellar ship?
I'm writing a story in which a civilization previously capable of (firmly technobabble-based) FTL travel has become stranded, orbiting an isolated star with no rocky planets. (There was a planet, but it was destroyed by their crash-landing in the star system.) The civilization is comfortably capable of forging an existence in artificial habitats orbiting their new star, but for the plot to function, it must be prohibitively difficult for them to leave the star system (to return home, or colonize elsewhere).
Their best chance would be to get their hands on an already-constructed FTL travel device, but I'm having trouble constructing a convincing (within-universe) reason why they couldn't simply build a new one from stuff they have at hand.
space space-travel space-colonization
New contributor
add a comment |
I'm writing a story in which a civilization previously capable of (firmly technobabble-based) FTL travel has become stranded, orbiting an isolated star with no rocky planets. (There was a planet, but it was destroyed by their crash-landing in the star system.) The civilization is comfortably capable of forging an existence in artificial habitats orbiting their new star, but for the plot to function, it must be prohibitively difficult for them to leave the star system (to return home, or colonize elsewhere).
Their best chance would be to get their hands on an already-constructed FTL travel device, but I'm having trouble constructing a convincing (within-universe) reason why they couldn't simply build a new one from stuff they have at hand.
space space-travel space-colonization
New contributor
Hint: read why we can't land on our Moon anymore.
– Mołot
1 hour ago
Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standard.
– L.Dutch♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |
I'm writing a story in which a civilization previously capable of (firmly technobabble-based) FTL travel has become stranded, orbiting an isolated star with no rocky planets. (There was a planet, but it was destroyed by their crash-landing in the star system.) The civilization is comfortably capable of forging an existence in artificial habitats orbiting their new star, but for the plot to function, it must be prohibitively difficult for them to leave the star system (to return home, or colonize elsewhere).
Their best chance would be to get their hands on an already-constructed FTL travel device, but I'm having trouble constructing a convincing (within-universe) reason why they couldn't simply build a new one from stuff they have at hand.
space space-travel space-colonization
New contributor
I'm writing a story in which a civilization previously capable of (firmly technobabble-based) FTL travel has become stranded, orbiting an isolated star with no rocky planets. (There was a planet, but it was destroyed by their crash-landing in the star system.) The civilization is comfortably capable of forging an existence in artificial habitats orbiting their new star, but for the plot to function, it must be prohibitively difficult for them to leave the star system (to return home, or colonize elsewhere).
Their best chance would be to get their hands on an already-constructed FTL travel device, but I'm having trouble constructing a convincing (within-universe) reason why they couldn't simply build a new one from stuff they have at hand.
space space-travel space-colonization
space space-travel space-colonization
New contributor
New contributor
New contributor
asked 1 hour ago
Olle
111
111
New contributor
New contributor
Hint: read why we can't land on our Moon anymore.
– Mołot
1 hour ago
Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standard.
– L.Dutch♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Hint: read why we can't land on our Moon anymore.
– Mołot
1 hour ago
Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standard.
– L.Dutch♦
1 hour ago
Hint: read why we can't land on our Moon anymore.
– Mołot
1 hour ago
Hint: read why we can't land on our Moon anymore.
– Mołot
1 hour ago
Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standard.
– L.Dutch♦
1 hour ago
Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standard.
– L.Dutch♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |
6 Answers
6
active
oldest
votes
The simplest way is probably to leave them with a shortage of unobtainium. A substance named for obvious reasons, that happens to be required for the production of FTL drives.
Perhaps the limited quantity they had in their existing drive was destroyed (causing the accident) or dispersed in the accident. Either way, they're now limited to space habitats and STL drive until such time as they can come into possession of more unobtainium.
add a comment |
It costs a lot of money and they lack the political will to use all those resources for that scope.
See what happened with the Apollo program. As long as USSR was leading the space race the US Congress was scared by the enemy supremacy and had no troubles providing funding to the program.
Once the Moon was reached more than once and public attention lowered, together with the manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result, suddenly the budget was limited and even scheduled launches were canceled.
[...]manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result I don't think that was ever the case. The race to the Moon was a race, and there were no medals for second place. The soviets could have insisted on their N1 rocket, or build another one. They simply didn't try anymore. Instead, they focused on winning the USA in other fields, such as space habitats.
– Rekesoft
48 mins ago
@Rekesoft, exactly. USA have been on the Moon multiple times and USSR never did it (N1 failures were secret to general public), so why keep fighting a non existing enemy?
– L.Dutch♦
46 mins ago
@LDutch I don't know, but the whole Cold War point was keep on fighting a non-existing enemy, so why stop there if they hadn't stopped anywhere else?
– Rekesoft
44 mins ago
add a comment |
Their ship and her payload were designed as a colony expedition. They had not just asteroid mining craft, and seeds for hydroponics, and modular habitat sections, they also had the blueprints and machine tools to replicate them. And they had the engineers to read the blueprints and use the tools.
For the stardrive, they had just the operators' maintenance handbook, and pilots and engineers trained to operate it.
Consider: You are obviously able to use a computer, like billions of people worldwide. And there are many millions who can program a simple website. But how many can design a microchip, or manufacture one? A programmer would know about silicon wafers, and doping it with other elements, but how many can explain the physics behind that?
So the colony would have to replicate a R&D project. They get a head start because they know it is possible, and also the principles how it works. This is balanced by the need to build the colony as planned. They know that they have a fleet of sublight ships, and that these sublight ships will wear out, and that they should start assembling the shipyard to build new sublight ships.
add a comment |
They were never able to construct FTL drives - they got them from a forerunner factory that was still intact, which they had discovered during their own early steps into space.
(Or they purchased the FTL drive from extant aliens, or FTL tech is a particular company's closely guarded secret, etc...)
add a comment |
Perhaps they have tried to create a new FTL drive from remains of their old one, and it backfired so much - risked so many lives, nearly tore through the ship, messed up with their resources, etc - and leaves barely anything of the attempt that the rest simply say 'it's not worth it' and stop any further pooling of resources into making one.
add a comment |
When they crash-landed in the new star system, the scientists and technicians who were knowledgeable and part of producing FTL died, the computers and backups containing information on how to build/rebuild the equipment were also destroyed.
The remaining scientists and technicians have little knowledge of physics involved to produce FTL engine, and they were not property trained.
It was unfortunate for the scientists and technicians to die. There was a malfunction in the ship they were in when exiting FTL, sending the ship crashing down to the planet.
add a comment |
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6 Answers
6
active
oldest
votes
6 Answers
6
active
oldest
votes
active
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votes
active
oldest
votes
The simplest way is probably to leave them with a shortage of unobtainium. A substance named for obvious reasons, that happens to be required for the production of FTL drives.
Perhaps the limited quantity they had in their existing drive was destroyed (causing the accident) or dispersed in the accident. Either way, they're now limited to space habitats and STL drive until such time as they can come into possession of more unobtainium.
add a comment |
The simplest way is probably to leave them with a shortage of unobtainium. A substance named for obvious reasons, that happens to be required for the production of FTL drives.
Perhaps the limited quantity they had in their existing drive was destroyed (causing the accident) or dispersed in the accident. Either way, they're now limited to space habitats and STL drive until such time as they can come into possession of more unobtainium.
add a comment |
The simplest way is probably to leave them with a shortage of unobtainium. A substance named for obvious reasons, that happens to be required for the production of FTL drives.
Perhaps the limited quantity they had in their existing drive was destroyed (causing the accident) or dispersed in the accident. Either way, they're now limited to space habitats and STL drive until such time as they can come into possession of more unobtainium.
The simplest way is probably to leave them with a shortage of unobtainium. A substance named for obvious reasons, that happens to be required for the production of FTL drives.
Perhaps the limited quantity they had in their existing drive was destroyed (causing the accident) or dispersed in the accident. Either way, they're now limited to space habitats and STL drive until such time as they can come into possession of more unobtainium.
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
Separatrix
77.3k30181305
77.3k30181305
add a comment |
add a comment |
It costs a lot of money and they lack the political will to use all those resources for that scope.
See what happened with the Apollo program. As long as USSR was leading the space race the US Congress was scared by the enemy supremacy and had no troubles providing funding to the program.
Once the Moon was reached more than once and public attention lowered, together with the manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result, suddenly the budget was limited and even scheduled launches were canceled.
[...]manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result I don't think that was ever the case. The race to the Moon was a race, and there were no medals for second place. The soviets could have insisted on their N1 rocket, or build another one. They simply didn't try anymore. Instead, they focused on winning the USA in other fields, such as space habitats.
– Rekesoft
48 mins ago
@Rekesoft, exactly. USA have been on the Moon multiple times and USSR never did it (N1 failures were secret to general public), so why keep fighting a non existing enemy?
– L.Dutch♦
46 mins ago
@LDutch I don't know, but the whole Cold War point was keep on fighting a non-existing enemy, so why stop there if they hadn't stopped anywhere else?
– Rekesoft
44 mins ago
add a comment |
It costs a lot of money and they lack the political will to use all those resources for that scope.
See what happened with the Apollo program. As long as USSR was leading the space race the US Congress was scared by the enemy supremacy and had no troubles providing funding to the program.
Once the Moon was reached more than once and public attention lowered, together with the manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result, suddenly the budget was limited and even scheduled launches were canceled.
[...]manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result I don't think that was ever the case. The race to the Moon was a race, and there were no medals for second place. The soviets could have insisted on their N1 rocket, or build another one. They simply didn't try anymore. Instead, they focused on winning the USA in other fields, such as space habitats.
– Rekesoft
48 mins ago
@Rekesoft, exactly. USA have been on the Moon multiple times and USSR never did it (N1 failures were secret to general public), so why keep fighting a non existing enemy?
– L.Dutch♦
46 mins ago
@LDutch I don't know, but the whole Cold War point was keep on fighting a non-existing enemy, so why stop there if they hadn't stopped anywhere else?
– Rekesoft
44 mins ago
add a comment |
It costs a lot of money and they lack the political will to use all those resources for that scope.
See what happened with the Apollo program. As long as USSR was leading the space race the US Congress was scared by the enemy supremacy and had no troubles providing funding to the program.
Once the Moon was reached more than once and public attention lowered, together with the manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result, suddenly the budget was limited and even scheduled launches were canceled.
It costs a lot of money and they lack the political will to use all those resources for that scope.
See what happened with the Apollo program. As long as USSR was leading the space race the US Congress was scared by the enemy supremacy and had no troubles providing funding to the program.
Once the Moon was reached more than once and public attention lowered, together with the manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result, suddenly the budget was limited and even scheduled launches were canceled.
answered 1 hour ago
L.Dutch♦
77.2k25184375
77.2k25184375
[...]manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result I don't think that was ever the case. The race to the Moon was a race, and there were no medals for second place. The soviets could have insisted on their N1 rocket, or build another one. They simply didn't try anymore. Instead, they focused on winning the USA in other fields, such as space habitats.
– Rekesoft
48 mins ago
@Rekesoft, exactly. USA have been on the Moon multiple times and USSR never did it (N1 failures were secret to general public), so why keep fighting a non existing enemy?
– L.Dutch♦
46 mins ago
@LDutch I don't know, but the whole Cold War point was keep on fighting a non-existing enemy, so why stop there if they hadn't stopped anywhere else?
– Rekesoft
44 mins ago
add a comment |
[...]manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result I don't think that was ever the case. The race to the Moon was a race, and there were no medals for second place. The soviets could have insisted on their N1 rocket, or build another one. They simply didn't try anymore. Instead, they focused on winning the USA in other fields, such as space habitats.
– Rekesoft
48 mins ago
@Rekesoft, exactly. USA have been on the Moon multiple times and USSR never did it (N1 failures were secret to general public), so why keep fighting a non existing enemy?
– L.Dutch♦
46 mins ago
@LDutch I don't know, but the whole Cold War point was keep on fighting a non-existing enemy, so why stop there if they hadn't stopped anywhere else?
– Rekesoft
44 mins ago
[...]manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result I don't think that was ever the case. The race to the Moon was a race, and there were no medals for second place. The soviets could have insisted on their N1 rocket, or build another one. They simply didn't try anymore. Instead, they focused on winning the USA in other fields, such as space habitats.
– Rekesoft
48 mins ago
[...]manifest incapacity of the Soviet space program to replicate the result I don't think that was ever the case. The race to the Moon was a race, and there were no medals for second place. The soviets could have insisted on their N1 rocket, or build another one. They simply didn't try anymore. Instead, they focused on winning the USA in other fields, such as space habitats.
– Rekesoft
48 mins ago
@Rekesoft, exactly. USA have been on the Moon multiple times and USSR never did it (N1 failures were secret to general public), so why keep fighting a non existing enemy?
– L.Dutch♦
46 mins ago
@Rekesoft, exactly. USA have been on the Moon multiple times and USSR never did it (N1 failures were secret to general public), so why keep fighting a non existing enemy?
– L.Dutch♦
46 mins ago
@LDutch I don't know, but the whole Cold War point was keep on fighting a non-existing enemy, so why stop there if they hadn't stopped anywhere else?
– Rekesoft
44 mins ago
@LDutch I don't know, but the whole Cold War point was keep on fighting a non-existing enemy, so why stop there if they hadn't stopped anywhere else?
– Rekesoft
44 mins ago
add a comment |
Their ship and her payload were designed as a colony expedition. They had not just asteroid mining craft, and seeds for hydroponics, and modular habitat sections, they also had the blueprints and machine tools to replicate them. And they had the engineers to read the blueprints and use the tools.
For the stardrive, they had just the operators' maintenance handbook, and pilots and engineers trained to operate it.
Consider: You are obviously able to use a computer, like billions of people worldwide. And there are many millions who can program a simple website. But how many can design a microchip, or manufacture one? A programmer would know about silicon wafers, and doping it with other elements, but how many can explain the physics behind that?
So the colony would have to replicate a R&D project. They get a head start because they know it is possible, and also the principles how it works. This is balanced by the need to build the colony as planned. They know that they have a fleet of sublight ships, and that these sublight ships will wear out, and that they should start assembling the shipyard to build new sublight ships.
add a comment |
Their ship and her payload were designed as a colony expedition. They had not just asteroid mining craft, and seeds for hydroponics, and modular habitat sections, they also had the blueprints and machine tools to replicate them. And they had the engineers to read the blueprints and use the tools.
For the stardrive, they had just the operators' maintenance handbook, and pilots and engineers trained to operate it.
Consider: You are obviously able to use a computer, like billions of people worldwide. And there are many millions who can program a simple website. But how many can design a microchip, or manufacture one? A programmer would know about silicon wafers, and doping it with other elements, but how many can explain the physics behind that?
So the colony would have to replicate a R&D project. They get a head start because they know it is possible, and also the principles how it works. This is balanced by the need to build the colony as planned. They know that they have a fleet of sublight ships, and that these sublight ships will wear out, and that they should start assembling the shipyard to build new sublight ships.
add a comment |
Their ship and her payload were designed as a colony expedition. They had not just asteroid mining craft, and seeds for hydroponics, and modular habitat sections, they also had the blueprints and machine tools to replicate them. And they had the engineers to read the blueprints and use the tools.
For the stardrive, they had just the operators' maintenance handbook, and pilots and engineers trained to operate it.
Consider: You are obviously able to use a computer, like billions of people worldwide. And there are many millions who can program a simple website. But how many can design a microchip, or manufacture one? A programmer would know about silicon wafers, and doping it with other elements, but how many can explain the physics behind that?
So the colony would have to replicate a R&D project. They get a head start because they know it is possible, and also the principles how it works. This is balanced by the need to build the colony as planned. They know that they have a fleet of sublight ships, and that these sublight ships will wear out, and that they should start assembling the shipyard to build new sublight ships.
Their ship and her payload were designed as a colony expedition. They had not just asteroid mining craft, and seeds for hydroponics, and modular habitat sections, they also had the blueprints and machine tools to replicate them. And they had the engineers to read the blueprints and use the tools.
For the stardrive, they had just the operators' maintenance handbook, and pilots and engineers trained to operate it.
Consider: You are obviously able to use a computer, like billions of people worldwide. And there are many millions who can program a simple website. But how many can design a microchip, or manufacture one? A programmer would know about silicon wafers, and doping it with other elements, but how many can explain the physics behind that?
So the colony would have to replicate a R&D project. They get a head start because they know it is possible, and also the principles how it works. This is balanced by the need to build the colony as planned. They know that they have a fleet of sublight ships, and that these sublight ships will wear out, and that they should start assembling the shipyard to build new sublight ships.
answered 13 mins ago
o.m.
58.3k683194
58.3k683194
add a comment |
add a comment |
They were never able to construct FTL drives - they got them from a forerunner factory that was still intact, which they had discovered during their own early steps into space.
(Or they purchased the FTL drive from extant aliens, or FTL tech is a particular company's closely guarded secret, etc...)
add a comment |
They were never able to construct FTL drives - they got them from a forerunner factory that was still intact, which they had discovered during their own early steps into space.
(Or they purchased the FTL drive from extant aliens, or FTL tech is a particular company's closely guarded secret, etc...)
add a comment |
They were never able to construct FTL drives - they got them from a forerunner factory that was still intact, which they had discovered during their own early steps into space.
(Or they purchased the FTL drive from extant aliens, or FTL tech is a particular company's closely guarded secret, etc...)
They were never able to construct FTL drives - they got them from a forerunner factory that was still intact, which they had discovered during their own early steps into space.
(Or they purchased the FTL drive from extant aliens, or FTL tech is a particular company's closely guarded secret, etc...)
answered 1 hour ago
Jedediah
1,739212
1,739212
add a comment |
add a comment |
Perhaps they have tried to create a new FTL drive from remains of their old one, and it backfired so much - risked so many lives, nearly tore through the ship, messed up with their resources, etc - and leaves barely anything of the attempt that the rest simply say 'it's not worth it' and stop any further pooling of resources into making one.
add a comment |
Perhaps they have tried to create a new FTL drive from remains of their old one, and it backfired so much - risked so many lives, nearly tore through the ship, messed up with their resources, etc - and leaves barely anything of the attempt that the rest simply say 'it's not worth it' and stop any further pooling of resources into making one.
add a comment |
Perhaps they have tried to create a new FTL drive from remains of their old one, and it backfired so much - risked so many lives, nearly tore through the ship, messed up with their resources, etc - and leaves barely anything of the attempt that the rest simply say 'it's not worth it' and stop any further pooling of resources into making one.
Perhaps they have tried to create a new FTL drive from remains of their old one, and it backfired so much - risked so many lives, nearly tore through the ship, messed up with their resources, etc - and leaves barely anything of the attempt that the rest simply say 'it's not worth it' and stop any further pooling of resources into making one.
answered 29 mins ago
bigchickcannibalistic
745
745
add a comment |
add a comment |
When they crash-landed in the new star system, the scientists and technicians who were knowledgeable and part of producing FTL died, the computers and backups containing information on how to build/rebuild the equipment were also destroyed.
The remaining scientists and technicians have little knowledge of physics involved to produce FTL engine, and they were not property trained.
It was unfortunate for the scientists and technicians to die. There was a malfunction in the ship they were in when exiting FTL, sending the ship crashing down to the planet.
add a comment |
When they crash-landed in the new star system, the scientists and technicians who were knowledgeable and part of producing FTL died, the computers and backups containing information on how to build/rebuild the equipment were also destroyed.
The remaining scientists and technicians have little knowledge of physics involved to produce FTL engine, and they were not property trained.
It was unfortunate for the scientists and technicians to die. There was a malfunction in the ship they were in when exiting FTL, sending the ship crashing down to the planet.
add a comment |
When they crash-landed in the new star system, the scientists and technicians who were knowledgeable and part of producing FTL died, the computers and backups containing information on how to build/rebuild the equipment were also destroyed.
The remaining scientists and technicians have little knowledge of physics involved to produce FTL engine, and they were not property trained.
It was unfortunate for the scientists and technicians to die. There was a malfunction in the ship they were in when exiting FTL, sending the ship crashing down to the planet.
When they crash-landed in the new star system, the scientists and technicians who were knowledgeable and part of producing FTL died, the computers and backups containing information on how to build/rebuild the equipment were also destroyed.
The remaining scientists and technicians have little knowledge of physics involved to produce FTL engine, and they were not property trained.
It was unfortunate for the scientists and technicians to die. There was a malfunction in the ship they were in when exiting FTL, sending the ship crashing down to the planet.
answered 9 mins ago
Reddy Lutonadio
1215
1215
add a comment |
add a comment |
Olle is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Olle is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Olle is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Hint: read why we can't land on our Moon anymore.
– Mołot
1 hour ago
Welcome to worldbuilding. Please take the tour and visit the help center to make yourself familiar with our community and its standard.
– L.Dutch♦
1 hour ago