Slingshot
So there's this idea I've been tossing around, a setting for a game (most likely Mekton Zeta)
It's the year 2200. The colonization of the solar system is complete. The easy to develop places, the ready resources and even some of the hard to reach ones have been exploited. Space is essentially run by three major powers-NASA (North American Space Administration), The SRS (Space Recovery Service-not unlike the Coast Guard, if the Coast Guard had spacecraft and answered to the European Union) and Wentley-Boeing (An association of major aerospace companies, dominates the heavy lift and space construction markets) . While there have been conflicts in the past things have mostly cooled off, with the occasional dust-up between NASA and the Chinese Space Administration over development rights on Jupiter's moon Io.
Spacecraft tend to be symmetrical along their central axis, with rotating habitation "arms" to provide a comfortable level of artificial gravity. Notable is the development of the Frame. In their simplest term Frames are humanoid robots controlled by a pilot, designed to give the advantage of the human body with the strength and stamina of a machine. They vary in size from Work Frames barely larger than it's human wearer to the tremendous Orbital Frames used by the SRS to patrol borders and intervene in disputes. Faster than light travel is technically still impossible. Most of the larger ships employ some version of the Wentley-Boeing Traction Drive. By employing the principle of Partial Zero-Point Collapse the ship essentially falls into a track of ever-collapsing space in front of it. The limits of this technology seem to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1-2 AU per day. The other option is the Slingshot. Currently there is only one Slingshot in existence. A tunnel of rings approximately 500 meters inside diameter by 2500 meters long, it has been placed in an orbit roughly identical to Saturn's, to keep it as far from the solar wind as possible. By using antimatter it can generate a Second Stage Zero-Point Collapse, essentially flinging anything inside the Slingshot light years away, with a travel speed of 1 light year per 46 days. Employing the Slingshot allowed humanity to reach for the stars for the first time, building colonies at Gliese 876, mu Arae, and 87 Tycho.
Ten years ago a fuelling accident completely consumed the previous Slingshot. A manic reconstruction project immediately went into effect, rebuilding the machine in a much shorter timeframe than the original was built. While all the colonies were still counting on aid from the home system, 87 Tycho was especially at risk, as not only were the new colonies still being established, but a conflict between the NASA and the Wentley-Boeing factions was beginning to boil over. This is where you come in. The brave pilots, scientists and officers of the SRS are tasked with travelling to 87 Tycho, refuelling their Slingshot (which was scheduled to be powered up for the first time on arrival when the accident occured), and rendering aid where necessary. On the honor of the Service you must not fail in your duty.
It's the year 2200. The colonization of the solar system is complete. The easy to develop places, the ready resources and even some of the hard to reach ones have been exploited. Space is essentially run by three major powers-NASA (North American Space Administration), The SRS (Space Recovery Service-not unlike the Coast Guard, if the Coast Guard had spacecraft and answered to the European Union) and Wentley-Boeing (An association of major aerospace companies, dominates the heavy lift and space construction markets) . While there have been conflicts in the past things have mostly cooled off, with the occasional dust-up between NASA and the Chinese Space Administration over development rights on Jupiter's moon Io.
Spacecraft tend to be symmetrical along their central axis, with rotating habitation "arms" to provide a comfortable level of artificial gravity. Notable is the development of the Frame. In their simplest term Frames are humanoid robots controlled by a pilot, designed to give the advantage of the human body with the strength and stamina of a machine. They vary in size from Work Frames barely larger than it's human wearer to the tremendous Orbital Frames used by the SRS to patrol borders and intervene in disputes. Faster than light travel is technically still impossible. Most of the larger ships employ some version of the Wentley-Boeing Traction Drive. By employing the principle of Partial Zero-Point Collapse the ship essentially falls into a track of ever-collapsing space in front of it. The limits of this technology seem to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 1-2 AU per day. The other option is the Slingshot. Currently there is only one Slingshot in existence. A tunnel of rings approximately 500 meters inside diameter by 2500 meters long, it has been placed in an orbit roughly identical to Saturn's, to keep it as far from the solar wind as possible. By using antimatter it can generate a Second Stage Zero-Point Collapse, essentially flinging anything inside the Slingshot light years away, with a travel speed of 1 light year per 46 days. Employing the Slingshot allowed humanity to reach for the stars for the first time, building colonies at Gliese 876, mu Arae, and 87 Tycho.
Ten years ago a fuelling accident completely consumed the previous Slingshot. A manic reconstruction project immediately went into effect, rebuilding the machine in a much shorter timeframe than the original was built. While all the colonies were still counting on aid from the home system, 87 Tycho was especially at risk, as not only were the new colonies still being established, but a conflict between the NASA and the Wentley-Boeing factions was beginning to boil over. This is where you come in. The brave pilots, scientists and officers of the SRS are tasked with travelling to 87 Tycho, refuelling their Slingshot (which was scheduled to be powered up for the first time on arrival when the accident occured), and rendering aid where necessary. On the honor of the Service you must not fail in your duty.