Nick wrote:
Hello. I`m designing a space craft for a large animation I`m planning on making. Its a Search And Rescue (SAR) type craft. Just wondering if any of you have any ideas on how I could make it VTOL? I first thought of rocket motors, because they`re starting to "come back into fashion" at the moment. But then I thought, that wouldn`t work because you`d fry anybody you`re rescuing. :-)
Any of you know if Ion drives would work? I know they`re good in space, but what about in an atmosphere? Could they be developed to provide enough thrust? and would it harm anybody under it?
I`m trying to make the animation fairly believable. If Ion drives are good enough in an atmosphere, that would solve my other problem. Getting out of the atmopshere. I don`t want loads of different engines. The craft isn`t supposed to be huge, or travel huge distances anyway (in space terms anyway).
I was thinking of Ion in space, Some sort of efficient jet for cruising and hovering in an atmosphere and an efficient rocket for exiting a planets gravity, but 3 engines!? A tad complex!
Any idea?
Thanks
Nick
Ion drives suck, both in space and in atmosphears. The most eficient method for VTOL is to put a big fan on top and call it a helicopter.
