[Timstone]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
A sleek starship requires the same force to accelerate as an equal mass oblong hulk. So, an external component shouldn't necessarily be less massive (ie: fewer kilotons (smaller)) than an internal one.

That is incorrect Imperator. A sleek and smooth spaceship requires less thrust for the same acceleration than a bulky spaceship. There is ALWAYS resistance (stray space dust, small meteorites). It's almost nothing compared to the atmosphere of a planet, but there is still some resistance. And that resistance is very large if you're heading in the direction of a sun (the sun is emitting photons, that's why a solar sail gives thrust to certain artificial recon moons) or if you're traveling inside a nebula (particles make up a nebula).

[ September 17, 2002, 20:07: Message edited by: Timstone ]