this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2025
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TenForward: Where Every Vulcan Knows Your Name
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They did the math! If there is air resistance in space...
Actually, kinda. Space is not a true vacuum, the particles per cubic meter is just really low, low enough that it's basically close enough for most stuff humans do in space. But, IIRC, when you travel at relativistic speeds and keep closing in on light speed, these particles are enough that there's a similar effect to air resistance in terrestrial travel.
I could be wrong though, it's hearsay and I'm not even sure where I got this from. I think it might have been SFAA though.
Edit: found this:
At anything approaching relativistic speeds, the name for what would happen when those random atoms of mostly hydrogen impacted the spacecraft's hull would not be friction, but more likely, fusion, the formation of a high energy plasma and a bit of radiation that used to be that bit of hull. Can't imagine that ending well.
However, since the hypothetical warp drive doesn't actually push the ship through space, but bend space around the ship, there should be no contact between the ship and "space air" in the path of travel.
Preventing that sort of thing is the primary function of the deflector dish, and not just whatever they're jiggered it to do in order to solve the Negative Space Wedgie problem of the week this time.
And somehow they snork up hydrogen via the Bussard ram scoops, as well. I don't think anyone's ever adequately explained just how the hell that's supposed to work at warp speed, only that it does.
Maybe there's space gas in the future, you don't know
There is. That's why they have a deflector. When you're going any appreciable fraction of c, which impulse is, even atomic particles are going to cause problems for your starship. The deflector moves things out of the way so your ship doesn't hit it. If you need to collect that gas you turn off the deflector and turn on the bussard collectors.