Hyper Drives (and even more) Part 4

 After pondering ways to remind people they were on a dang spacecraft, I came up with an overview of gravity control technology. I decided the interface of hyper and regular space could exert a repulsion force allowing lift and thrust relatively near a planet or large body. So no taking air rafts to the moon though they would make orbital towers less effective and put the rocket industry out of business. Besides classic 2d6 technology levels (TL)  I added generic development stages. 

Prototype (TL 8)    No gravity control. the Hyper force is harnessed to allow air rafts and grav vehicles. Maximum altitude of 500 meters.

Field Testing (Late TL 8)    Gravity is 'generated at a single node at one end of a vessel or station in the direction of thrust. This may result in part of the ship's having reversed gravity and it being difficult to transit between the two sections. The effects of gravity gradually diminish over the length of the ship to about 0.25 to 0.5 gees at the nose. Special blood pressure regulating devices or medication may be necessary to prevent vertigo and nausea. Acceleration is only neutralized for short periods (i.e. combat, not cruising). Vessels must turn off gravity control to dock or land.  Air rafts and grav vehicles have a maximum altitude of 5 kilometers 

Limited Production (TL 9)    Gravity is 'generated at a single node at one end of the ship in the direction of thrust. This may result in part of the ship's having reversed gravity and it being difficult to transit between the two sections. Acceleration is only neutralized for short periods (i.e. combat, not cruising). Vessels must turn off gravity control to dock or land. A repulsion force is harnessed to allow air rafts and grav vehicles. Maximum altitude of low orbit.

Mass Production (TL 10)    Gravity is 'generated at a single node at one end of the ship. This may result in part of the ship's having reversed gravity and it being difficult to transit between the two sections. Acceleration is only neutralized up to 2 gees (the crew of a ship pulling four gees will experience 2 gees acceleration.) Vessels must turn off gravity control to dock or land.

Mature Technology (TL 11)    Gravity control can negate acceleration effects and produce a force at right angles to acceleration. Grab plates turn on and off like a light panel. Discrepancies between artificial and natural gravity are minimal. 

Universal Use (TL 12)    Full gravity control. The effects can be extended to the hull to facilitate EVA work or docking.

Streamlined hulls receive a +1 TL boost. Dispersed or unstreamlined hulls have a -2 penalty to their effective TL.

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