Imagination fuel: spaceships from No Man's Sky

[neil_w]

No Man's Sky is a video game, in case anyone is unaware. I don't play it but I appreciate the images. Some of these have potential to inspire. Here's the whole image collection from Google Images.

I'm drawn to the incomplete ring in the back of these two:

 

[Nytrunner]

I'm stuck trying to figure out what wonky quantum physics those rings could possibly serve.
Give me some dimensions and I can try to crank a CP* out of my SWorks Flow-simulator!

*CP location is worth exactly what you paid for it and the provider assumes no responsibility for damages incurred thereby.

 

[neil_w]

Here's an extremely quick and rough take on those in the unreleased version of OR. Kind of interesting I think.

(argh, just noticed the main BT sticking out the back like that, a relic from a previous version. Wouldn't keep it like that).

 

[Nytrunner]

I feel like that incomplete ring will give it a tendency to flip over backwards. Any idea for balancing out the drag on the underside?

 

[neil_w]

I feel like that incomplete ring will give it a tendency to flip over backwards. Any idea for balancing out the drag on the underside?

Not really. I'm not very good figuring out what to do on the underside of airplane-ish designs (another example where I struggled).

I also tend not to know how much of a problem that is (e.g. this thread). Certainly, there *will* be more drag on the top side, but when is it too much? I dunno.

Could put feed on the bottom, like in those images above. Would make the model sit nicely on the shelf, dunno if it would add enough compensating drag on the bottom.

 

[TheTellurian]

I just noticed something on the OR renderings, that the CG mark is in the 3D CG location. [I may be wrong but] If the motor thrust line is located there then there should not be much problem with the offset fin drag. I have used the paper cutout method of CG location on the frontal area cutout of a glider to determine the best location for the motor. While it does not account for streamlining effects it's a good starting point.


Richard

 

[dhbarr]

I feel like that incomplete ring will give it a tendency to flip over backwards. Any idea for balancing out the drag on the underside?

Make the bottom fin quite thick. Do not round the leading edge. Mount buttons on one side, lugs on the other.

 

[BABAR]

I feel like that incomplete ring will give it a tendency to flip over backwards. Any idea for balancing out the drag on the underside?

Pic has some foot steps or skids, one up front, two sticking out under cockpit bottom sides, one each side. Exaggerate the back side ones a bit, make sure alignment is perfect, may give a bit more balance to the rear finnage

 

[BABAR]

Here's an extremely quick and rough take on those in the unreleased version of OR. Kind of interesting I think.

(argh, just noticed the main BT sticking out the back like that, a relic from a previous version. Wouldn't keep it like that).

I kinda like replacing the ring fin with rosary of flat fins. Adds to cool factor

 

[neil_w]

I kinda like replacing the ring fin with rosary of flat fins. Adds to cool factor

For now that's due to limitation in how to enter this sort of thing in OR (and boy is it tedious.) Does look kind of cool, but also looks like a nightmare to build. No thanks.

 

[neil_w]

Tried a couple of variations and I'm not too happy with either.

First, I tried a half-ring on the underside:

At these proportions, I think it's too subtle and hidden under there.

Next, landing gear:

I probably proportioned and/or shaped them wrong, but I'm not enthused. I didn't spend too much effort trying to shape the feet, that would be a lot of work (OR is not designed for this! ).

Note that for some reason OR has totally thrown up its hands on the CG calculation.

Overall I'm not too psyched about how this is going. I think there's a good design to be had there, but I may not be the right person to realize it. I am intrigued by the possibility (in general) of partial rings, and will probably keep trying to come up with a good way to apply them.

 

[dhbarr]

Given the OD of the outer ringfin and thickness of same: calculate the forward-facing surface assuming squared cuts.

This is the maximum face area of your bottom fin. Ditch the halfl(r)ing gear.

 

[neil_w]

Here's a symmetrical take, drifting away from the original but that's OK. I haven't come close to zeroing in on the essence of the design yet, but still some interesting ideas to play around with. I haven't had real inspiration for a new design in a while, so this is good.

By the way, is this the right forum for this or should it be in "Plans" or "LPR" or what exactly? Always hard to figure out.

 

[Nytrunner]

I'm starting to get a Vulcan cruiser or Jedi Starfighter vibe from that last one.

I think you may be in to something with the smaller ring in post 11. If you bend the tips.of the big ring further "down" and elongate the smaller ring (elliptical), you can preserve some of the visual asymmetry thats so appealing in the original picture.

(This of course coming from a guy whose only scratch rocket has NO fins)