Difference between revisions of "Orion Drive"

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An [[Orion Drive]] is a kind of Nuclear-Pulse [[Maneuver Drive]] used on some interplanetary [[vessel]]s.
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An [[Orion Drive]] is a kind of Nuclear-Pulse [[Maneuver Drive]] used on some interplanetary or interstellar [[vessel]]s. They are a type of [[Relativistic Drive]]/[[Reaction Drive]] or [[Impulse Drive]].  
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* They are a type of [[Relativistic Drive]] or [[Reaction Drive]] or [[Impulse Drive]].  
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* It is a kind of [[Ship Equipment]].
 
−
----
 
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Please refer to the following [[AAB]] [[Library Data]] for more information: <br>
 
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'''[[Starship]]:'''
 
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* '''[[Drive|Speed of Travel]]'''
 
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{{:Referral-Tree-Speed-of-Travel}}
 
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{{:Referral-Tree-Impulse-Drives}}
 
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{{:Referral-Tree-Interstellar-Drives}}
 
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----
 
  
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== Description ([[Specifications]]) ==
+
== Description ==
 
Orion Drives are a type of ''Nuclear Pulse Drive'' (NPD) that eject a stream of detonators which explode, producing a blast wave that presses against a pressure plate at the rear of the ship moving the ship forward in reaction. The pulsed pressure of the propelling explosions are smoothed out by Massive shock-absorbers. Orion Drives are specified by the type of detonation used for propulsion.   
 
Orion Drives are a type of ''Nuclear Pulse Drive'' (NPD) that eject a stream of detonators which explode, producing a blast wave that presses against a pressure plate at the rear of the ship moving the ship forward in reaction. The pulsed pressure of the propelling explosions are smoothed out by Massive shock-absorbers. Orion Drives are specified by the type of detonation used for propulsion.   
  
−
* The ''Orion-1'' ([[O1-Drive]]) or "''Fission Orion''" utilizes fission or multistage fission-fusion detonators reacting against a massive pressure plate comprising approximately 10% of the ship's volume. A Fission Orion Drive produces significant radiation contamination as a byproduct of its operation. It is a TL8-standard propulsion system.  
+
=== Orion Drive Variations ===
 +
The '''''Orion-1''''' ''(O<small><sub>1</sub></small>)'' or "''Fission Orion''" utilizes fission or multistage fission-fusion detonators reacting against a massive pressure plate comprising approximately 10% of the ship's volume. A Fission Orion Drive produces significant radiation contamination as a byproduct of its operation. It is a {{TL|8}}-standard propulsion system.  
  
−
* The ''Orion-2'' ([[O2-Drive]]) or "''Fusion Orion''" utilizes a combination of nuclear dampers, induced fusion, and inertial compensators with a much smaller pressure plate to produce survivable thrust, with low to negligible radioactive contamination byproduct. It is a TL12-standard propulsion system.
+
The '''''Orion-2''''' ''(O<small><sub>2</sub></small>)'' or "''Fusion Orion''" utilizes a combination of nuclear dampers, induced fusion, and inertial compensators with a much smaller pressure plate to produce survivable thrust, with low to negligible radioactive contamination byproduct. It is a {{TL|12}}-standard propulsion system.
  
−
* The ''Orion-3'' ([[O3-Drive]]) or "''AM Orion''" is a conjectural technology that is proposed to be the most advanced incarnation of the Orion Drive concept. It theoretically utilizes antimatter detonators, inertial compensators, and "ON-OFF"stasis fields in place of a pressure plate to produce survivable thrust, while producing no radiation or environmental damage. It is estimated to be approximately a TL21 propulsion system.
+
The '''''Orion-3''''' ''(O<small><sub>3</sub></small>)'' or "''AM Orion''" is a conjectural technology that is proposed to be the most advanced incarnation of the Orion Drive concept. It theoretically utilizes antimatter detonators, inertial compensators, and "ON-OFF" stasis fields in place of a pressure plate to produce survivable thrust, while producing no radiation or environmental damage. It is estimated to be approximately a {{TL|21}} propulsion system.
  
−
* The Hybrid ''Orion-2bis'' ([[O2.5-Drive]]) is a prototype device, utilizing antimatter detonators or antimatter-catalyzed nuclear detonators, inertial compensators, and a small pressure plate (instead of the more advanced and hypothetical stasis field) to produce survivable thrust, while producing no radiation or environmental damage. It is estimated to be a TL18-standard propulsion system.
+
* The '''''Hybrid Orion-2bis''''' ''(O<small><sub>2bis</sub></small>)'' is a prototype device, utilizing antimatter detonators or antimatter-catalyzed nuclear detonators, inertial compensators, and a small pressure plate (instead of the more advanced and hypothetical stasis field) to produce survivable thrust, while producing no radiation or environmental damage. It is estimated to be a {{TL|18}}-standard propulsion system.
 +
 
 +
: Other earlier developmental variations of ''Hybrid Antimatter-Nuclear Drive'' systems include:
 +
:* '''Antimatter Catalysed Micro Fission/Fusion Drive''' (ACMF Orion-2bis Drive). - Utilizes small quantities of antimatter to kick start a brief fission reaction which subsequently induces a fusion reaction in a D-T-U<sup>238</sup> pellet.
 +
:* '''Antimatter Initiated Microfusion Drive''' (AIM Orion-2bis Drive), - Utilizes D-He<sup>3</sup>-U<sup>238</sup> or D-He<sup>3</sup>-Pb<sup>208</sup> pellets injected into an electromagnetically compressed antiproton plasma cloud, causing rapid fission to fully ionize the D-He<sup>3</sup> into plasma and undergo fusion and become compressed by the potential well of antiprotons.
  
 
=== STL Drive Specifications ===
 
=== STL Drive Specifications ===
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|- valign="top"
 
|- valign="top"
 
| Name
 
| Name
 +
| [[Orion Drive]]<br>
 +
* Orion-O1 (Fission)
 +
* Orion-O2 (Fusion)
 +
* Orion-O2bis (Hybrid)
 +
* Orion-O3 (Antimatter)
 
| TBD
 
| TBD
−
| TBD
+
|- valign="top"
 +
| TL (Detonator / Plate)
 +
|
 +
* TL: 8 / 8<br>
 +
* TL: 12 / 12<br>
 +
* TL: 18 / 12<br>
 +
* TL: 18 / 21
 +
|
 +
* Remote-Detonated Fissile Pellets / Immense Pressure Plate<br>
 +
* Damper-Activated Fusible Pellets / Inertial-Damped Medium Pressure-Plate <br>
 +
* Remote-Detonated Magnetic cage Antimatter-Pellets / Inertial-Damped Medium Pressure-Plate <br>
 +
* Remote-Detonated Magnetic cage Antimatter-Pellets / Cyclic Stasis-Field "Shield"
 
|- valign="top"
 
|- valign="top"
 
| Drive Type
 
| Drive Type
−
| TBD
+
| [[Reaction Drive|Reaction]]/[[STL]]
 
| TBD
 
| TBD
 
|- valign="top"
 
|- valign="top"
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|- valign="top"
 
|- valign="top"
 
| Fuel
 
| Fuel
−
| TBD
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| Fuel Pellets (Fissile/Fusible/AM)
 
| TBD
 
| TBD
 
|- valign="top"
 
|- valign="top"
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|}
 
|}
  
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== History & Background ([[Dossier]]) ==
 
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No information yet available.
 
  
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== References & Contributors ([[Sources]]) ==
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== History & Background ==
 +
''Pulse Drives'' of various sorts and configurations have been proposed, and in some cases actually built, by many cultures and species over the History of [[Charted Space]]. A few such projects were in fact rather grandiose affairs built by those species which dared to reach for the stars, but who had not discovered the secrets of the [[Jump Drive]]. Such propulsion systems were immense versions of those described here, and have invariably included variations on the proposed but never built types of ''Interstellar [[Wikipedia: Nuclear pulse propulsion|Nuclear pulse propulsion]] vessels'' proposed in the ancient [[Solomani]] projects named ''[[Wikipedia: Project Daedalus|Project Daedalus]]'' or ''[[Wikipedia: Project Longshot|Project Longshot]]'', or even possibly such concepts as ''[[Wikipedia: Enzmann starship|Enzmann starship]]s'').
 +
 
 +
== Library Data Referral Tree ==
 +
Please refer to the following [[AAB]] [[Library Data]] for more information:
 +
 
 +
<br>
 +
'''[[Starship]]s:''' <br>
 +
 
 +
-----
 +
-----
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{{hidden
 +
  |header = Speed-of-Travel
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  |ta1 = left
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  |headercss =
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  |content =
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{{:Referral-Tree-Speed-of-Travel}}
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  |contentcss =
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  |ta2 = left
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}}
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-----
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{{hidden
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  |header = Impulse-Drives
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  |ta1 = left
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  |headercss =
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  |content =
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{{:Referral-Tree-Impulse-Drives}}
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  |contentcss =
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  |ta2 = left
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}}
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----
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{{hidden
 +
  |header = Interstellar-Drives
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  |ta1 = left
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  |headercss =
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  |content =
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{{:Referral-Tree-Interstellar-Drives}}
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  |contentcss =
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  |ta2 = left
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}}
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-----
 +
-----
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== References ==
 
{{Intermediate}}
 
{{Intermediate}}
 
{{Sources
 
{{Sources
−
|S1= {{Ludography cite|name= Challenge 72|page=|article= [[Sublight Drive]]s }}
+
| {{Ludography cite|name= Challenge 72|page=|article= [[Sublight Drive]]s }}
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|S2= {{Ludography cite|name= Hard Times|page=84}}
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| {{Ludography cite|name= Hard Times|page=84}}
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|S3= {{Ludography cite|name= Fire, Fusion, & Steel|page=72-73}}
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| {{Ludography cite|name= Fire, Fusion, & Steel|page=72-73}}
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|S4= {{Ludography cite|name= Starships|version=Marc Miller's Traveller|page=71}}
+
| {{Ludography cite|name= Starships|version=Marc Miller's Traveller|page=71}}
−
|S5= {{Ludography cite|name= Fire, Fusion & Steel|page=65}}
+
| {{Ludography cite|name= Fire, Fusion & Steel|page=65}}
−
|S6= {{Ludography cite|name= T5 Core Rules|page=328-331}}
+
| {{Ludography cite|name= T5 Core Rules|page=328-331}}
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|S7= [[Traveller Wiki Editorial Team]]
 
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|S8= Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology [[Maksim-Smelchak]] of the [[Ministry of Science]]
 
 
}}
 
}}
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[[Category: Ship Equipment]]
 
[[Category: Ship Equipment]]
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{{LE|Drive|Good|Propulsion|Technology}}
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{{LE|Drive|Propulsion|Technology}}

Latest revision as of 22:23, 14 January 2026

Imperial-Sunburst-Yellow-wiki.png

An Orion Drive is a kind of Nuclear-Pulse Maneuver Drive used on some interplanetary or interstellar vessels. They are a type of Relativistic Drive/Reaction Drive or Impulse Drive.


Description[edit]

Orion Drives are a type of Nuclear Pulse Drive (NPD) that eject a stream of detonators which explode, producing a blast wave that presses against a pressure plate at the rear of the ship moving the ship forward in reaction. The pulsed pressure of the propelling explosions are smoothed out by Massive shock-absorbers. Orion Drives are specified by the type of detonation used for propulsion.

Orion Drive Variations[edit]

The Orion-1 (O1) or "Fission Orion" utilizes fission or multistage fission-fusion detonators reacting against a massive pressure plate comprising approximately 10% of the ship's volume. A Fission Orion Drive produces significant radiation contamination as a byproduct of its operation. It is a TL–8-standard propulsion system.

The Orion-2 (O2) or "Fusion Orion" utilizes a combination of nuclear dampers, induced fusion, and inertial compensators with a much smaller pressure plate to produce survivable thrust, with low to negligible radioactive contamination byproduct. It is a TL–12-standard propulsion system.

The Orion-3 (O3) or "AM Orion" is a conjectural technology that is proposed to be the most advanced incarnation of the Orion Drive concept. It theoretically utilizes antimatter detonators, inertial compensators, and "ON-OFF" stasis fields in place of a pressure plate to produce survivable thrust, while producing no radiation or environmental damage. It is estimated to be approximately a TL–21 propulsion system.

  • The Hybrid Orion-2bis (O2bis) is a prototype device, utilizing antimatter detonators or antimatter-catalyzed nuclear detonators, inertial compensators, and a small pressure plate (instead of the more advanced and hypothetical stasis field) to produce survivable thrust, while producing no radiation or environmental damage. It is estimated to be a TL–18-standard propulsion system.
Other earlier developmental variations of Hybrid Antimatter-Nuclear Drive systems include:
  • Antimatter Catalysed Micro Fission/Fusion Drive (ACMF Orion-2bis Drive). - Utilizes small quantities of antimatter to kick start a brief fission reaction which subsequently induces a fusion reaction in a D-T-U238 pellet.
  • Antimatter Initiated Microfusion Drive (AIM Orion-2bis Drive), - Utilizes D-He3-U238 or D-He3-Pb208 pellets injected into an electromagnetically compressed antiproton plasma cloud, causing rapid fission to fully ionize the D-He3 into plasma and undergo fusion and become compressed by the potential well of antiprotons.

STL Drive Specifications[edit]

STL Drive Specifications (Starship Propulsion)
Category Specifications Remarks
Name Orion Drive
  • Orion-O1 (Fission)
  • Orion-O2 (Fusion)
  • Orion-O2bis (Hybrid)
  • Orion-O3 (Antimatter)
 TBD
TL (Detonator / Plate)
  • TL: 8 / 8
  • TL: 12 / 12
  • TL: 18 / 12
  • TL: 18 / 21
  • Remote-Detonated Fissile Pellets / Immense Pressure Plate
  • Damper-Activated Fusible Pellets / Inertial-Damped Medium Pressure-Plate
  • Remote-Detonated Magnetic cage Antimatter-Pellets / Inertial-Damped Medium Pressure-Plate
  • Remote-Detonated Magnetic cage Antimatter-Pellets / Cyclic Stasis-Field "Shield"
Drive Type Reaction/STL TBD
Velocity TBD TBD
Duration TBD TBD
Hazards TBD TBD
Physical
Constraints 		TBD TBD
Geometry TBD TBD
Levels TBD TBD
Entry TBD TBD
Exit TBD TBD
Fuel Fuel Pellets (Fissile/Fusible/AM) TBD
Resource
Requirements 		TBD TBD
Inventor TBD TBD
Characteristics TBD TBD


History & Background[edit]

Pulse Drives of various sorts and configurations have been proposed, and in some cases actually built, by many cultures and species over the History of Charted Space. A few such projects were in fact rather grandiose affairs built by those species which dared to reach for the stars, but who had not discovered the secrets of the Jump Drive. Such propulsion systems were immense versions of those described here, and have invariably included variations on the proposed but never built types of Interstellar Nuclear pulse propulsion vessels proposed in the ancient Solomani projects named Project Daedalus or Project Longshot, or even possibly such concepts as Enzmann starships).

Library Data Referral Tree[edit]

Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:


Starships:

Speed-of-Travel
  • NAFAL (STL) - (Not As Fast As Light) / (Slower Than Light)
  • Light Speed (c)
  • FTL - (Faster Than Light) - "Superluminal"
» Imperial Standard Astronomical Unit
» Solomani Parsec
» Vilani Parsec ("Deshi")
» Imperial Standard Parsec
Impulse-Drives
(Field Propulsion Drives / Propellantless Drives)
Interstellar-Drives


References[edit]

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.
Retrieved from "http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/index.php?title=Orion_Drive&oldid=1001669"