Rotational Gravity (was OFF-TOPIC mini review B5 Wars (Designers Comments))

I did a calc back in college (mechanics of materials, I think - just for
fun) and the thrust required to turn a rotating spaceship isn't really all
THAT bad, assuming materials that will take the strain... But there's an
easier way.  Two counter-rotating sections on the same frame, such that
the net angular momentum of the system is 0. Thrust away.

Of course, in The Mote in God's Eye, etc. the ships don't actually rotate
while under thrust, just when in orbit. Most of my larger ship designs,
however, do rotate while under thrust, and the mechanics of coordinating
rotational "gravity" and thrust "gravity" can get interesting.

Bart Anderson anderson@pahrump.com
http://www2.pahrump.com/~users/anderson/