Today, space flights do not belong to fantastic stories, but, unfortunately, a modern spaceship is still very different from those shown in films.

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Russian spaceships and

Spaceships of the future

Spaceship: what is it

On the

Spaceship, how does it work?

The mass of modern spacecraft is directly related to how high they fly. The main task of manned spacecraft is safety.

The SOYUZ descent vehicle became the first space series of the Soviet Union. During this period, an arms race was going on between the USSR and the USA. If we compare the size and approach to the issue of construction, then the leadership of the USSR did everything for the speedy conquest of space. It is clear why similar devices are not being built today. It is unlikely that someone will undertake to build according to a scheme in which there is no personal space for astronauts. Modern spacecraft are equipped with both crew rest rooms and a descent capsule, the main task of which is to make it as soft as possible at the moment the landing is carried out.

The first spaceship: the history of creation

Tsiolkovsky is rightly considered the father of astronautics. Based on his teachings, Goddrad built a rocket engine.

Scientists who worked in the Soviet Union were the first to design and launch an artificial satellite. They were also the first to invent the possibility of launching a living creature into space. The states are aware that the Union was the first to create an aircraft capable of going into space with a person. The father of rocket science is rightly called Korolev, who went down in history as the one who figured out how to overcome gravity and was able to create the first manned spacecraft. Today, even kids know in what year the first ship with a person on board was launched, but few people remember the contribution of the Queen to this process.

The crew and their safety during the flight

The main task today is the safety of the crew, because they spend a lot of time at flight altitude. When building an aircraft, it is important what metal it is made of. The following types of metals are used in rocket science:

1. Aluminum - allows you to significantly increase the size of the spacecraft, as it is lightweight.
2. Iron - perfectly copes with all the loads on the ship's hull.
3. Copper has a high thermal conductivity.
4. Silver - reliably binds copper and steel.
5. Tanks for liquid oxygen and hydrogen are made from titanium alloys.

A modern life support system allows you to create a familiar atmosphere for a person. Many boys see how they fly in space, forgetting about the very large overload of the astronaut at the start.

The largest space ship in the world

Among warships, fighters and interceptors are very popular. A modern cargo ship has the following classification:

1. The probe is a research ship.
2. Capsule - cargo compartment for delivery or rescue operations of the crew.
3. The module is launched into orbit by an unmanned carrier. Modern modules are divided into 3 categories.
4. Rocket. The prototype for the creation was military development.
5. Shuttle - reusable structures for the delivery of the necessary cargo.
6. Stations are the largest spaceships. Today, not only Russians, but also French, Chinese and others are in outer space.

Buran - a spaceship that went down in history

Vostok was the first spacecraft to go into space. After the Federation of Rocket Science of the USSR, the production of Soyuz ships began. Much later, Clippers and Rus began to be produced. The federation places great hopes on all these manned projects.

In 1960, the Vostok spacecraft by its flight proved the possibility of man entering space. On April 12, 1961, Vostok 1 orbited the Earth. But the question of who flew on the ship Vostok 1, for some reason, causes difficulty. Maybe the fact is that we simply do not know that Gagarin made his first flight on this ship? In the same year, the Vostok 2 spacecraft entered orbit for the first time, in which there were two cosmonauts at once, one of whom went beyond the ship in space. It was progress. And already in 1965 Voskhod 2 was able to go into outer space. The history of the Sunrise 2 ship was filmed.

Vostok 3 set a new world record for the longest time a ship spent in space. The last ship in the series was Vostok 6.

The American shuttle of the Apollo series opened new horizons. After all, in 1968, Apollo 11 was the first to land on the moon. Today there are several projects for the development of spaceplanes of the future, such as Hermes and Columbus.

Salyut is a series of interorbital space stations of the Soviet Union. Salyut 7 is known for having crashed.

The next spaceship, whose history is of interest, was Buran, by the way, I wonder where he is now. In 1988 he made his first and last flight. After repeated analysis and transportation, Buran's path of movement was lost. The last known location of the Buran spacecraft is in Sochi, work on it has been mothballed. However, the storm around this project has not yet subsided, and the further fate of the abandoned Buran project is of interest to many. And in Moscow, an interactive museum complex was created inside the model of the Buran spacecraft at VDNKh.

Gemini - a series of ships of American designers. They replaced the Mercury project and were able to make a spiral in orbit.

American ships with the name Space Shuttle have become a kind of shuttles, making more than 100 flights between objects. The second Space Shuttle was the Challenger.

One cannot but be interested in the history of the planet Nibiru, which is recognized as a warden ship. Nibiru has already twice approached a dangerous distance to Earth, but both times the collision was avoided.

Dragon is a spacecraft that was supposed to fly to the planet Mars in 2018. In 2014, the federation, citing the technical characteristics and condition of the Dragon ship, postponed the launch. Not so long ago, another event happened: the Boeing company made a statement that it had also begun development work on the creation of a rover.

The first reusable station wagon in history was to be an apparatus called Zarya. Zarya is the first development of a reusable transport ship, on which the federation had very high hopes.

A breakthrough is the possibility of using nuclear installations in space. For these purposes, work began on the transport and energy module. In parallel, developments are underway on the Prometheus project - a compact nuclear reactor for rockets and spacecraft.

China's Shenzhou 11 launched in 2016 with two astronauts to spend 33 days in space.

Spacecraft speed (km/h)

The minimum speed with which you can go into orbit around the Earth is 8 km / s. Today there is no need to develop the fastest ship in the world, since we are at the very beginning of outer space. After all, the maximum height that we could reach in space is only 500 km. The record for the fastest movement in space was set in 1969, and so far it has not been possible to break it. On the Apollo 10 spacecraft, three astronauts were returning home after orbiting the moon. The capsule that was supposed to deliver them from the flight managed to reach a speed of 39.897 km / h. For comparison, let's consider how fast a space station flies. As much as possible, it can develop up to 27,600 km / h.

Abandoned spaceships

Today, for spacecraft that have become unusable, a cemetery has been created in the Pacific Ocean, where dozens of abandoned spaceships can find their last refuge. spaceship disasters

Disasters happen in space, often taking lives. The most frequent, oddly enough, are accidents that occur due to collisions with space debris. On impact, the object's orbit is displaced and causes crash and damage, often resulting in an explosion. The most famous disaster is the death of the manned American spacecraft Challenger.

Nuclear engine for spaceships 2017

Today, scientists are working on projects to create an atomic electric motor. These developments involve the conquest of space with the help of photonic engines. Russian scientists are planning to start testing a thermonuclear engine in the near future.

Spaceships of Russia and the USA

The rapid interest in space arose during the Cold War between the USSR and the USA. American scientists recognized worthy rivals in their Russian colleagues. Soviet rocket science continued to develop, and after the collapse of the state, Russia became its successor. Of course, the spacecraft that Russian cosmonauts fly are significantly different from the first ships. Moreover, today, thanks to the successful developments of American scientists, spacecraft have become reusable.

Spaceships of the future

Today, there is increasing interest in projects that will enable humanity to make longer journeys. Modern developments are already preparing ships for interstellar expeditions.

Where are spaceships launched from?

To see with your own eyes the launch of a spacecraft at the start is the dream of many. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the first launch does not always lead to the desired result. But thanks to the Internet, we can see how the ship takes off. Considering the fact that those watching the launch of a manned spacecraft should be far enough away, we can imagine that we are on the takeoff site.

Spaceship: what is it like inside?

Today, thanks to museum exhibits, we can personally see the structure of such ships as the Soyuz. Of course, from the inside, the first ships were very simple. The interior of more modern options is designed in soothing colors. The device of any spacecraft is sure to scare us with a lot of levers and buttons. And this adds pride for those who were able to remember how the ship works, and, moreover, learned how to manage it.

What spaceships are flying now?

New spaceships with their appearance confirm that fantasy has become reality. Today, no one will be surprised by the fact that the docking of spacecraft is a reality. And few people remember that the world's first such docking took place back in 1967...

Last November, during the TVIW (Tennessee Astronomy Seminar on Interstellar Travel), Rob Sweeney - former Royal Air Force Squadron Leader, engineer and MSc in charge of the Icarus project - presented a report on the work done on the project for recent times. Sweeney has refreshed the public's mind on the history of Icarus, from being inspired by the ideas of the Daedalus project highlighted in a BIS (British Interplanetary Society - the oldest organization supporting space research) report in 1978, to the joint decision of the BIS and the Tau Zero enthusiast company to resume research in 2009 year, and until the latest news about the project, dated 2014.

The original project of 1978 had a simple, but difficult to implement goal - to answer the question posed by Enrique Fermi: "If there is intelligent life outside the Earth, and interstellar flights are possible, then why is there no evidence of other alien civilizations?". The Daedalus research focused on developing an interstellar spacecraft design using existing technology in reasonable extrapolations. And the results of the work thundered throughout the scientific world: the creation of such a ship is really possible. The report on the project was supported by a detailed plan of a ship using deuterium-helium-3 thermonuclear fusion from pre-harvested pellets. The Daedalus then served as the benchmark for all subsequent developments in interstellar travel for 30 years.

However, after such a long time, it was necessary to review the ideas and technical solutions adopted at Daedalus in order to assess how they stood the test of time. In addition, new discoveries were made during this period, a design change in accordance with them would improve the overall performance of the ship. The organizers also wanted to interest the younger generation in astronomy and the construction of interstellar space stations. The new project was named after Icarus, the son of Daedalus, which, despite the negative connotation of the name, corresponded to the first words in the report of the 78th year:

“We hope that this variant will replace the future design, similar to Icarus, which will reflect the latest discoveries and technical innovations, so that Icarus can reach heights not yet conquered by Daedalus. We hope that thanks to the development of our ideas, the day will come when humanity literally touches the stars.”

So, Icarus was created precisely as a continuation of Daedalus. The indicators of the old project to this day look very promising, but still need to be finalized and updated:

1) Daedalus used relativistic electron beams to compress fuel pellets, but subsequent studies showed that this method was not capable of providing the necessary impulse. Instead, ion beams are used in laboratories for thermonuclear fusion. However, such a miscalculation, which cost the National Fusion Complex 20 years of operation and $4 billion, showed the difficulty of handling fusion even under ideal conditions.

2) The main obstacle faced by the Daedalus is Helium-3. It does not exist on Earth, and therefore it must be mined from gas giants distant from our planet. This process is too expensive and complicated.

3) Another problem that Icarus will have to solve is the marriage of information about nuclear reactions. It was the lack of information that made it possible 30 years ago to make very optimistic calculations of the impact of irradiating the entire ship with gamma rays and neutrons, without the release of which a thermonuclear fusion engine cannot do.

4) Tritium was used in fuel pellets for ignition, but too much heat was released from the decay of its atoms. Without a proper cooling system, the ignition of the fuel will be accompanied by the ignition of everything else.

5) Decompression of fuel tanks due to emptying can cause an explosion in the combustion chamber. To solve this problem, weights have been added to the tank design to balance the pressure in different parts of the mechanism.

6) The last difficulty is the maintenance of the ship. According to the project, the ship is equipped with a pair of robots similar to R2D2, which, using diagnostic algorithms, will identify and repair possible damage. Such technologies seem very complex even now, in the computer era, to say nothing of the 70s.

The new design team is no longer limited to building an agile ship. To study objects, Icarus uses probes carried on board the ship. This not only simplifies the task of designers, but also significantly reduces the time for studying star systems. Instead of deuterium-helium-3, the new spacecraft runs on pure deuterium-deuterium. Despite the greater release of neutrons, the new fuel will not only increase the efficiency of engines, but also eliminate the need to extract resources from the surface of other planets. Deuterium is actively mined from the oceans and used in heavy water nuclear power plants.

However, mankind has not yet been able to obtain a controlled decay reaction with the release of energy. The protracted race of laboratories around the world for exothermic nuclear fusion slows down the design of the ship. So the question of the optimal fuel for an interstellar vessel remains open. In an attempt to find a solution, in 2013 an internal competition was held among BIS units. The WWAR Ghost team from the University of Munich won. Their design is based on thermonuclear fusion using a laser, which ensures that the fuel is quickly heated to the required temperature.

Despite the originality of the idea and some engineering moves, the contestants could not solve the main dilemma - the choice of fuel. In addition, the winning ship is huge. It is 4-5 times larger than the Daedalus, and other fusion methods may need less space.

Accordingly, it was decided to promote 2 types of engines: based on thermonuclear fusion and based on the Bennett pinch (plasma engine). In addition, in parallel with deuterium-deuterium, the old version with tritium-helium-3 is also being considered. In fact, helium-3 gives the best results in any kind of propulsion, so scientists are working on ways to get it.

An interesting relationship can be traced in the works of all participants in the competition: some structural elements (probes for environmental research, fuel storage, secondary power supply systems, etc.) of any ship remain unchanged. The following can be unequivocally stated:

1. The ship will be hot. Any method of burning any of the presented types of fuel is accompanied by the release of a large amount of heat. Deuterium requires a massive cooling system due to the direct release of thermal energy during the reaction. The magnetic plasma engine will create eddy currents in the surrounding metals, also heating them. Radiators of sufficient power already exist on Earth to effectively cool bodies with temperatures above 1000 C, it remains to adapt them to the needs and conditions of a starship.
2. The ship will be colossal. One of the main tasks assigned to the Icarus project was to reduce the size, but over time it became clear that a lot of space is required for thermonuclear reactions. Even the smallest mass design options weigh tens of thousands of tons.
3. The ship will be long. "Dedalus" was very compact, each part of it was combined with another, like a nesting doll. In Icarus, attempts to minimize the radioactive impact on the ship led to its lengthening (this is well demonstrated in the Firefly project by Robert Freeland).

Rob Sweeney said that a group from Drexel University has joined the Icarus project. The "newcomers" are promoting the idea of ​​using PJMIF (a system based on a jet of plasma using magnets, while the plasma is stratified, providing conditions for nuclear reactions). This principle is currently the most effective. In fact, this is a symbiosis of two methods of nuclear reactions, it has incorporated all the advantages of inertial and magnetic thermonuclear fusion, such as a reduction in the mass of the structure, and a significant reduction in cost. Their project is called Zeus.

This meeting was followed by TVIW, where Sweeney set a tentative completion date for the Icarus project of August 2015. The final report will include references to modifications to old Daedalus designs and innovations entirely created by the new team. The seminar ended with a monologue by Rob Sweeney, in which he said: “The mysteries of the Universe are waiting for us somewhere out there! Time to get out of here!"

Interestingly, the new project is inextricably linked with its predecessor. The vehicle for delivering parts and fuel to a small Earth orbit during the construction of the Icarus could be the Cyclops, a short-range spacecraft being developed under the leadership of Alan Bond (one of the engineers who worked on the Daedalus).

Rogue Jedi

Why are the ships in Star Wars so ridiculously easy to steal?

In both cases, we often see ships being exceptionally easy to steal, as they appear to rarely get locked out and don't require keys, passwords, etc. for them to fly.

A few examples:

• In the series " Knights of the Old Republic» Blackhawk is infiltrated or hacked by a stowaway, a maid, and a gang of outlaws, respectively.
• AT "The Phantom Menace" Anakin and R2-D2 are able to jump on the star gunner, who apparently has such a weak security system that by chance flies away.
• In the pilot movie Star Wars: The Clone Wars» Anakin and Ashoka can easily take over "Dust" if the door is already open.
• In the episode " Twilight if a student" from " Star Wars: Rebels» Chopper can enter and control the Eighth Brother's ship and

  Maul can steal TIE Advanced.

• AT "Return of the Jedi" Luke can take the Imperial Shuttle and fly away.

  (Anakin was dead at this point, so he couldn't help.)

• AT "The Force Awakens" Finn and Poe were able to steal an Elite TIE-Fighter (although this one was at least wired, it still clearly didn't have better security systems than a pen in a can). We also learn that the Millennium Falcon has been abducted four times since return of the jedi .

Why are the ships in " Star Wars" locked down? And why can anyone fly them? Won't there be people like Khan, who obviously takes great care of his ship, adds some advanced security systems, or at least makes the ship require keys or something?

VZZ

I guess the biggest hurdle would require knowing how to even start a thing. This doesn't seem to be a problem in the SW universe, where any random scavenger can just hop on a completely unknown spaceship and instantly learn how to start it, how to operate it, and how to maintain it. In real life, if you don't train on a type of aircraft, you will have difficulty simply turning on the engine on an unfamiliar aircraft, even if you are a professional pilot otherwise. And we're not even talking about spaceships.

Luan

Locks don't really help people trying to steal your car. Or burglary of your house. Their effect is mainly psychological - they prevent "honest people" from messing around. They can also help you get better insurance :P But any intruder will be able to bypass most practical locks very quickly without much effort. The limitation of car theft is the ease with which you can turn stolen cars into cash, and it doesn't get any easier. Even for your personal use, it's only a matter of time before someone notices that the dude has parked a prototype TIE fighter in the local cantina...

Turion

Probably the plan for the uprising was to steal death star, not destroy her!

Mandalorian

In the Phantom Menace, the ship already had predetermined coordinates, and R2-D2 likely had the codes needed to start it, as those starfighters were supposed to have astromech on their socket.

Ellesedil

There is a slight counterpoint to a certain part of the premise of your question. Finn can access TIE Fighter. He could start it. But he could not fly. That's why he saved Po. Finn needed Poe to fly the fighter.

Answers

Probst

Many of your examples are military. In a real army, many cars don't require a key to start. They rely on base security to prevent unauthorized use. I'll try to find a link later, but I read about an incident last year where a man somehow got into a military base and took a tank for a fun ride using the start button.

Other things, such as construction equipment, also usually don't require keys to start, so even civilian spaceships can be considered construction equipment rather than a car. The equivalent of cars Star Wars" there would be a ground speeder, which probably has stronger theft protection since we see open top speeders parked on the streets in movies.

Yakk

The "won't start" security is a design flaw in a warship as it is an additional point of failure (key loss, wrong keys, key port, key management ports, key detection system failures) that can cost lives.

Probst

Yes, exactly in a combat situation, if the driver dies, then someone else should be able to drive the vehicle in an emergency without looking in his body (which may be inaccessible) for keys.

Deolater

When I was a kid, I caused a momentary panic by starting a hummer that was constantly on display at some Independence Day parade.

Emery

The launch code for US nuclear weapons is "00000000". Keep it. Anyone who breaks into a secure nuclear facility can launch a nuclear weapon by entering this code. Don't let that knowledge fall into the hands of ISIS.

IMSoP

@emory This is amazing! I have the same combination in my luggage!

Anthony H

Let's start with a real analogy...

From what I can remember from my flight training experience, all the school planes were parked unlocked with keys. I never had to pick up a key to enter or run it. I must assume that the area had sufficient access control that it would be unnecessary and a source of inconvenience to secure the aircraft by locking it out and removing the keys. On the other hand, private and unattended aircraft have always been locked up by their owners.

Now let's extend this to other "fleet craft" scenarios...

Presumably the ships of the fleet are always "visited" in some way (security patrols, under dispatcher supervision, etc.) so locking them down would be an unnecessary precaution and inconvenience, assuming all known penetration routes are protected in some way.

AT Star Wars or any other history of the universe...

A typical scenario is that a fleet infiltrator finds some way to evade surveillance, or uses the Force to force a guard, etc., to not notice him until it's too late.

As for Khan's ship, you can go with an in-universe explanation like: it's like a lot of real people who don't lock their houses or cars for various reasons - they don't expect anything to happen while it's left unattended; You could also go with an out-of-universe explanation: the scenes depicting the collision and destruction of the castle could ruin the film's intended pace.

Pwassonne

Who would steal a piece of garbage anyway? Oh wait xD

Joshua

It is possible that only Han or Chui could start the engines due to the specialized know-how of all modifications.

TED

@Joshua - The spaceships you have to launch are the worst...

Random832

"so locking them out would be an unnecessary precaution" - AIUI, even military ground vehicles in real life don't have an ignition key.

jpmc26

Of course Khan won't block Falcon. Those five extra seconds could cost Han and Chewie their lives on any normal day of running from evil criminals, law enforcement or mobs!

Ehryk

What makes cars so hard to steal?

Not much, physically. There are some decent security systems, but before ~2000 all that was required was a basic knowledge of wiring and circuits, or just a pry bar on ignition.

The reason they don't get stolen the most is because their difficulty with registering or selling said car is quite high - you can cut it for parts or use it for recreation, sure, but you'll never get close to it. up to the full market value of the stolen car.

And our cars don't have galactic beacons yet

Which, since it's hinted that all ships are handing over their signature and location when Khan swoops in to intercept the Millennium Falcon at "The Force Awakens", this further perpetuates the cycle of why there's no reason to try to steal - every ship can be found and restored before the thief gets too far, and they're likely to have a small resale value in the same way that a stolen Ferrari doesn't get $400,000, how could I get a clean title.

Such a situation would make theft unlikely, especially with something like the Galactic Empire being able to easily harass, seize and recover a vessel. So why block them?

Also, they make handy plot devices when people need to run and don't necessarily look for resale value on a ship or have the skills and/or support to avoid capture.

bardo

IMHO the best answer so far...

David Richerby

"You'll never get close to the full market value of a stolen car." You don't have to: it doesn't mean you paid for it.

@DavidRicherby True, but you took a pretty big risk to get it.

Crow T Robot

The Falcon having a galactic locator beacon makes the scenes in the Empire where he hides from the Star Destroyer's hull rather odd, and I'm sure Khan will always hide from at least one person, which makes him a bad idea in General.

Kevin

If the ships pass on their signature and location, why can't the Khan find the MF when she's still docked on Jakku? Why did he have to ask who had it?

Zibelas

Imagine that you have to distribute the keys to X thousand military personnel in an emergency, and then they also need to find their fighter. Or parking management. If you can get on the first available fighter and start right away, you'll just be able to react faster.

thegreatjedi

Most of the cases you mentioned have one main point. It's not that stormtroopers are bad marksmen, it's just that every time you pay attention, they are up against opponents who are much better shots. Likewise, it's not that ships are so easy to steal, it's just that every time you pay attention, thieves have something going on that works for them.

Most of the examples given are from Grand Theft Auto:

• In the example, KotOR Ebon Hawk was stolen by a criminal gang. Given the predominance of starships in the Star Wars galaxy and the danger of planets being abandoned when they are on the run from the law, ship hijacking should be a common skill for any criminal.
• In the case of young Anakin, only one thing can be said: The Force was with him. Yes, that's a lame excuse for what George Lucas made too comedic, but in all seriousness, one could say for once that it's nothing short of that.
• Jedi can be considered a form of special agent. As peacekeepers for the Republic, they are sent on a wide variety of missions requiring expertise in all sorts of non-Force skills, from martial arts to mechanical understanding of spaceships and other technology. Given their frequent underworld encounters and the occasional undercover mission, knowledge of shipping should also be part of their repertoire.
• Chopper is a rebellious astronomer droid and war veteran. The Chopper was also frequently used to infiltrate Imperial Star Destroyers - alone - to hack into their systems. Considering that astromechs were known to be capable of interfacing with friendly and hostile systems, it would probably not be too difficult for such a person with Chopper's experience and knowledge to get a ship even to an Inquisitor's ship.
• Maul is a former Sith Lord and Sidious trained him well. What else can I say?
• The Death Star hangar was supposed to be considered a safe place, free from the presence of the enemy (Luke was considered captive and alone), and being in the middle of a battle, it is likely that the starships could be unlocked for quick access. Also, during Luke's escape, a general evacuation order was issued, so no one was particularly worried about the Rebels escaping - everyone knew what happened to the last Death Star, if an evacuation order was issued during the battle with the Rebels, better follow it.
• Finn is the best stormtrooper in his party and he should have gone to officer school. He either has or can easily get access codes for TIE Fighter. Poe is one of the best starfighter pilots in the galaxy - I wouldn't be surprised if he learned about First Order technology, or if he just knows how to recognize the controls.
• By the time Rey and Finn were in control of the Millennium Falcon, it had been stolen and re-stolen, changing hands so many times, no one knew exactly what it was anymore. As a smuggler, I would suggest that Khan's modifications to the ship should not be explicit - meaning there is no specific blocking of the ship other than that of a regular Corellian freighter on the surface - it all depends on the risk/reward ratio. , eventually.

Like I said, in all the examples you've given, there's some specific reason why a normal ship block isn't particularly effective. It may be that ships are ridiculously easy to steal - this may simply be due to the fact that we've seen instances where the thief had an above-average evasive or hacking ability, or the defensive structures simply didn't exist back then.

If the authorities/shipowners really intend, they go so far as to block the ship. At times like these, astronomers are also helpful in breaking codes.

Martin Carney

One more thing to add to this: ships, especially (relatively) larger ships like " Millennium Falcon", often served as a crew home. At any given time, there is a chance that someone is on board and will be able to try to fight off the hijacker. In such cases, it is more like stealing a mobile home than a car, without first checking that the owners were not inside.

CommaToast

In addition to the correct answer above, also consider the following reasons why they are easy to steal in your examples.

No AAA in space

One of the reasons ships in Star Wars might not have locked doors is because if you've locked yourself out of your spaceship in the middle of nowhere, you can't call AAA to open it for you. You would just starve to death cursing yourself.

Stealing a ship would be dangerous

Another reason people might feel okay leaving their ships unlocked is that very few people will be willing to take the risk of actually stealing a ship due to the inherent risks: ships in Star Wars are widely known to have built-in long range computers. communications systems, dangerous and potentially ruddy astromech droids, covert tracking devices, and/or poison gas systems. (There's no reason why they couldn't integrate self-destruct systems like the Imperial Probe Droid had in "The Empire Strikes Back", but if the owner can just turn off the life support with the remote or track you down and kill you, why bother?)

Also, your examples are mostly highly trained Jedi command ships, while in this case it may have been their last resort. These are not ordinary people waltzing into a vessel. These Jedi are highly experienced and trained in all sorts of specialized operations that will drastically reduce the risks associated with hacking and stealing a random ship and successfully piloting it. The same can be said about organized crime groups.

It's just a graphics device

That being said, I think what you noticed might just be a classic example deus ex machina similar to the usual trail where in movies and TV the house keys are always under the rug and the car keys are always behind the sun visor. In other words, it is merely a convenient plot device for entertaining viewers, and should probably not be interpreted as a statement about what should actually look like Universe star wars .

In other words, even if we don't actually see Anakin prepping the wiring for the car he takes, do you have any doubt that he could connect it? The writers want their stories to show up well on screen, so they skip roles like this (although I'm not sure how much that helped "The Phantom Menace").

If I were preparing a role-playing campaign for " Star Wars", I wouldn't let players use your examples as an argument for why they steal random ships, just like I wouldn't let them use the bad aim of stormtroopers in the movies as an excuse why they shouldn't just get shot . It's really a trail and nothing more, IMHO.

Deek

It's not just a plot device; in industry, racing, construction, the military, etc., it's not uncommon to leave keys in equipment all the time and use start buttons. No one wants to spend 30 minutes tailing a crane operator who left his keys in a cafe.

CommaToast

deek - I prefaced my answer with "In addition to the correct answer above" which means I included the meaning you just said in my answer. That being said, several examples of easy theft (such as the Millennium Falcon in chapter 7) do not fall into the category you mention (industrial, racing, construction, military).

ron

Most of the answers attempt to compare modern era technology with that of the interstellar age. Even today, image recognition technology can automate human recognition, and it goes without saying that by then, a machine capable of moving faster than light will by default have the means to recognize and at least detain unwanted visitors.

The truth is much easier. Star Wars doesn't actually take place in the interstellar era. It takes place in the 1950s, just with a little more magic. Do you think it's not? The return of the Sith was set in World War I.

Technology determines what you can do and what problems you need to deal with. These problems, therefore, change our perception of reality and the way we think about life.

There is a significant difference between our world today and what it was in the 1940s, the problems we are dealing with now may have similarities, but they are completely different tasks. For example, not to start a debate, but the whole issue of the migration of Middle Eastern peoples to Europe was not possible even 30 years ago. No, unless you were dealing with an extremely well organized military backed by significant government funding. The resources and methods of distribution simply did not exist to support this for a large number of unorganized, unarmed and untrained men and women.

TL/DR: Because 1960s California cars used to leave keys in the ignition.

No one can confirm or deny with certainty the fact of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations. Skeptics are convinced that if inhabited worlds with powerful technologies existed in the Universe, their representatives would have visited the solar system long ago and would have made themselves felt. It remains only to wait for the brothers in mind, who will fly to Earth on their ultra-fast starships.

Other researchers believe that in the near future it is not necessary to wait for the arrival of alien guests. Moreover, earthlings, in the current state of science and technology, will also not be able to go far beyond the solar system. The fact is that the closest stars to the Earth, in the region of which one could expect a meeting with an alien mind, are located at a distance of several tens of light years from the Sun.

The most modern spacecraft of earthlings is not able to cover the distance even during the lifetime of several successive generations. The principles of jet propulsion, underlying the current rocket science, allow you to move at an acceptable speed only within the "home" star system. And even then such trips can stretch for years and even decades.

The interstellar unmanned vehicle Voyager, which has already left the solar system, will be able to reach the nearest star in only 17 thousand years.

And yet, specialists in the field of space exploration are already purposefully working on projects of spacecraft capable of interstellar travel. No one knows exactly what the first human-controlled spacecraft that will go to other stars will look like. Today, we can only talk about the general principles of building interstellar spacecraft, based on the achieved level of technology development.

spaceship of the future

Apparently, the power plant will become the main element of the interstellar ship. Experts still consider rocket engines using thermonuclear reactions to be the most promising designs. Back in the 70s of the last century, such a ship called the Daedalus was developed. It was assumed that he would take on board about 50 thousand tons of fuel. The dimensions of the ship were to exceed the dimensions of tall skyscrapers.

A manned interstellar transport will have a part suitable for human habitation. During a long flight, the crew and possible passengers will have to lead the most ordinary life. There are projects that provide for the creation of a state of artificial gravity on the ship.

It is quite possible that part of the useful area of ​​the spacecraft will be occupied by greenhouses, where plants suitable for human consumption will grow.

The appearance of an interstellar ship should not at all resemble a modern space rocket or orbital station. It will be a functional complex, consisting of many parts that have the most bizarre shape. Apparently, such a massive ship will not have to start from the surface of the planet. It is more convenient to collect it in near-Earth orbit, from where it will go on a journey.

The appearance of the ship will not remain unchanged during the flight to the stars. The laws of the development of technology say that sooner or later the stage of creating dynamic and self-developing systems begins. This means that the interstellar craft will be able to change its appearance during the flight, discarding systems that have worked out their own and adapting to changing conditions. But the construction of such a technological "miracle", apparently, will take place only in the distant future.

56 years ago, on April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first person to fly into outer space. Over the past half century, people, with the help of cinema, have managed to send their spaceships with a crew much further than the earth's orbit, meet aliens, evacuate from Earth on ark ships, and so on. Our selection contains several excellent spaceships from world cinema, with which it is a pleasure to conquer the expanses of the Universe.

Carefully! Spoilers!

Flying Saucers from Mars Attacks!

Classic "flying saucers" with crab legs, embodied in the movie by Tim Burton. In fact, an ordinary ship for traveling through space with a standard set of amenities in the cabins. On the first level there is karaoke and a bar with panoramic windows. Some of the dishes are also rumored to be equipped with laboratories where sinister head transplant experiments can be performed. In the extended configuration, they are equipped with a combat laser that incinerates living organisms. However, due to the fact that the “flying saucer” model is outdated, it is practically impossible to cause fear in modern earthlings - only laughter and a pathological desire to take a selfie.

A warning: the attendants (aliens with cans on their heads) cannot stand the song "Indian Love Call" - in 1996, because of this, they were defeated when they tried to take over the Earth.

"Axiom" from the cartoon "Wall-E"

Achieving the space industry of the future from the Disney studio: an ark ship to rescue especially cunning and irresponsible people from a dying home planet (so that their descendants deal with the consequences). In fact, "Axiom" is a mini-city with schools, kindergartens, swimming pools, cafes, sports centers, residential "districts" and other amenities. No one works on the ark (except for the captain, although he shirks), all the work is done by robots and on-board systems. The movement of people takes place in chairs, from where you can use the remote control at hand to set the destination, change the color of the suit, or call a robot assistant who will wash, make up, comb, tell a story, feed - anything, in general.

A warning: long stay on the ark is fraught with overweight and chronic procrastination. And the captain's assistant is a very suspicious type.

Star cruiser "Galaxy" from the films and TV series of the same name

A warship built specifically for the war against the Cylons - intelligent machines that rebelled against humanity. Due to the fact that the Cylons are able to hack into complex computer systems, the Galaxy is equipped with rather primitive software, which is compensated by powerful armor and weapons (nuclear missiles, kinetic weapons, raptors, etc.).

A warning: make sure you're not a Cylon.

Enterprise D from Star Trek

One of the most popular and recognizable movie ships in the world. It consists of two parts: the main, motor - at the bottom, and residential - at the top, similar to a plate. While diplomatic disputes are being held in the command part, meetings of representatives of different civilizations are being held and other important issues are being resolved, on the “plate”, a kind of mini-city with its own bars, hospitals, schools, etc., the life of passengers goes on as usual. The living quarters can be "unfastened" if, for example, a "Borg Cube" (see below) is coming towards them and people need to be left "in the rear", or it can be used as an evacuation ark. Since the Enterprise is mainly a research ship, and on board for the most part scientists and diplomats, it should be borne in mind that both the crew and the ship itself are poorly prepared for combat (the best tactic is to leave the battlefield in English). Later versions of the ship (D) have reflective shields, while the first starships of this type were protected solely by faith and hope.

A warning: Captain Jean-Luc Picard does not like children very much.

Borg Cube from Star Trek

Looking at this cube, one remembers not only Kazimir Malevich, but also all sorts of tricks of aircraft designers regarding the streamlined shape of the ship to develop greater speed, which the creators of this cube completely forgot about. The size of the side of the cube is 3 km by 3 km. Weight - 9 billion tons. Speed ​​- 110 light years per day. The standard greeting emitted by the ship is "Resistance is useless" and it seems to even be a recommendation, because the "Cube" is equipped and protected so impressively (lasers, emitters, missiles, shields, field) that you only want to contact him if you look at him through the scope of the Death Star. However, it is worth considering that the "Cube" is able to self-repair due to nanotechnology (the same), and the triumph of victory may not be long. The Enterprise team had already fallen for this - they barely carried the engines out of the system where the Cube was then.

A warning: will only be produced from 2360. The drones serving the ship do not know what diplomacy is and do not make contact (although, maybe deep inside the motherboard they are sensitive and vulnerable creatures - who knows?).

"Prometheus" from "Prometheus"

The ship from Ridley Scott's Prometheus is basically a standard research vessel. On board the ship there are capsules where you can fall into suspended animation, a screen to watch "Lawrence of Arabia", medical modules where you can perform a complex surgical operation to extract a mini-Alien, laboratories to examine suspicious black liquid cylinders, and so on. The main attraction is the fatally curious android David with the face of Michael Fassbender comes as standard.

A warning: there is a possibility, in the end, to run into those who created the Aliens, because something similar to them has already been noticed on the Prometheus. And yes, keep an eye on David.

Alien space stations from Independence Day

An ideal model from Roland Emmerich for a leisurely, but high-quality capture of a city or a small country. The relatively low speed of movement is compensated by the strong impression that the station makes, and the power of the destructive beam emitted. On board the station, depending on the size, the size of the regular crew is up to 2 million people (aliens). Up to 30,000 space combat vehicles of various classes and purposes are also placed on board. The station is surrounded by a force field, which is controlled from the central cabin using standard software (updating to the latest version is free). Created to order in accordance with the desired dimensions, the standard color is mysterious gray. The laconic case design will emphasize your villainous ambitions.

A warning: keep Will Smith away from the ship and install a good antivirus (the standard one in the first film did not cope with the task).

The ship, commissioned by Steven Spielberg, will delight connoisseurs of high alien shipbuilding fashion. An ideal model for peaceful explorers of the universe who are eager to meet representatives of extraterrestrial civilizations and impress them with their intricate space vessel (after all, as you know, they are met by the skin). Nothing is reliably known about the combat capability of the ship, however, up to a hundred reconnaissance ships and five thousand people (aliens) of the regular crew can be placed on board. It is equipped with a light and music universal translator located on the ship's hull, so that immediately upon arrival on some planet, you can arrange an organ concert and at the same time talk about life.

A warning: it is quite possible that Roy Neri, who flew away with aliens in 1977, is still on board.

Rocket from a short film by Georges Méliès

Whatever you say, the very first spacecraft that landed on the moon was French. It "starts" and takes off according to the famous law of Baron Munchausen - with the help of a shot from a cannon. The crew is a maximum of 5 people, the ship is controlled by the will of fate. To the Moon from the Earth (384.3 thousand km), apparently, it flies in 3-4 seconds, that is, it can compete with the Millennium Falcon in speed (sorry, Khan).

A warning: the most extreme ship among all listed - no security system, no brakes, not even a control system.

"Nostromo" from "Alien"

In fact, this ship does not differ in anything special - it is generally a kind of barge that drags an ore processing plant behind it. The on-board computer called “Mom” is not smart and quick-witted (frankly, it’s dumb), but it will take you out of suspended animation at exactly the moment when you are right next to the ancient ship on which the eggs of the bloodthirsty Aliens are located. And then the space “Fort Boyard”: you have two hours (according to the rules of the insidious old man Ridley Scott in the tower) to run through the maze of corridors and dead ends, building up nutritious muscle mass, which will go to lunch (or dinner) for the Alien. There will be no gold, but there will be a shuttle where you can escape. Only Ellen Ripley made it to this round in 1979.

A warning: In the basic configuration, the Nostromo comes with Jones the cat, who will survive by default. Everyone loves cats.

"Death Star 2"

An indispensable station if you have already conquered the Earth and are now thinking about conquering the Universe. It was invented by George Lucas - and partly with the help of it, captured the minds of millions of people, turning them into Star Wars fans. In diameter, the width of the Death Star is about 900 km, the station is equipped with two hyperspace engines, in addition to the central super-powerful laser, which is capable of destroying entire planets, the Death Star also has eight smaller lasers, thousands of different guns (from ion to laser) and other military gadgets. The ability to accommodate up to 50 thousand spacecraft on board - from tanks to fighters. The crew is more than 8 million people. Protected by a powerful force field powered by a generator. Comments, as they say, are superfluous - how the Empire missed the Universe, having such a trump card in its hands, is not clear.

By default, "Imperial March" plays as background music on the station.

• viewpoints offer great views for selfies,
• Comes with Darth Vader plastic armor in various colors
• some saw the sad ghost of Emperor Palpatine in the corridors.

A warning: if you place a bunker with protective force field generators on a planet where cute fluffy natives with spears live, first enlist their support - otherwise your opponents will make friends with them, who will also find out from them where you have a poorly guarded secret entrance to the bunker.

Millennium Falcon from Star Wars

An old but timeless classic from director George Lucas, who constructed the Millennium Falcon from a bitten hamburger and an olive tucked into the side. Once upon a time, Han Solo won the Falcon by playing cards, slightly finished the resulting rattletrap on trifles (guns, ventilation, etc.), fitted a hyperdrive for jumping around the Universe (to hide from everyone to whom he owes). The result was one of the fastest ships in all the galaxies combined (speed 5 light years per hour), but also one of the most unsafe - in 4 - 6 episodes of Star Wars, the Falcon broke down more often than it flew. However, as Chewbacca amply demonstrated in Return of the Jedi, the hyperdrive is repaired with a precise blow of a wrench on the dashboard - as long as it is with all the Force. If necessary, you can concentrate and embed again - so sure and for a long time. Crew - up to 6 people. Lots of room for smuggling. It will be convenient to use after the conquest of the Universe - and bargain, and keep your eyes open with the rebels.

A warning: May the Force be with you. And a wrench.

It would seem, what does Eagle 5 have to do with it if there is an indecently long Spaceball 1 with an unforgettable inscription “We do not slow down in front of anyone”? Yes, because the Eagle 5, the ship of the Lone Star, is a great choice for a space weekend! Get into such a space bus, ride off somewhere to Mercury, bask in the rays of the Sun, admiring the high mountains of Venus and its famous thunderstorms, and then drift along the rings of Saturn and visit the "Martian" Mark Watney on Mars, chewing local potatoes. And on Earth with such a space bus there are no traffic jams and no rules. Plus a great sound system with subwoofers.

A warning: incoming calls can track the ship, so the Eagle 5 is not well suited for lurking smugglers-talkers.

This is a truly unique spaceship, which is actually a flying Zhiguli in the form of a bucket (the same technical characteristics) and at the same time a satire on the post-perestroika era from Georgy Danelia. But if you suddenly meet aliens (or someone from Hollywood), they will either immediately burst with laughter, or they will not take you seriously and let you go. In the meantime, you'll board the Death Star and play the Imperial March on the lascannon flute.

A warning: stock up on spare parts, fuel-lutz, patience and a sense of humor. And install, nevertheless, a gravitap to be transported closer to the workshop at any moment, and not to push the “viper with wheels” manually from the other end of the Galaxy. Pepelac is a delicate matter. Very thin...

Strictly speaking, this is a living being, a time machine and a spaceship at the same time. Once the TARDIS, grown on Gallifrey, the planet of the Time Lords, with the help of energy from an artificial black hole, was borrowed by the First Doctor. Through mimicry, the TARDIS can disguise itself as the environment it enters, but the Doctor's ship always looks like a police box due to a broken mechanism. The Ninth Doctor claimed that the TARDIS was over 900 years old (but this figure is likely greatly reduced). Inside the TARDIS, according to the Eleventh Doctor, it is infinite - in addition to the control room and living quarters, there is an art gallery, a swimming pool, a library, and a hospital compartment ... Of the abilities that the TARDIS has, the most important are movement in space and time , telepathic and computer functions. The protection module is impressive: when the doors are closed, external enemies are almost not scary. With the intervention of the Time Lords, human incarnations of the TARDIS are possible, as, for example, was the case with the Eleventh Doctor, who met his TARDIS in the form of a woman.

A warning: appearances are deceptive. This is not Pepelac for you.

The legendary ship, which, although it looks like a top with legs, but in terms of functionality and experienced adventures, will plug everyone on this list into the asteroid belt. Inspired by Kir Bulychev's book Alice and the Three Captains, the Pegasus was designed by director Roman Kachanov in 1981. In just 50 minutes of the cartoon, with his crew of 3 people, he visited the planets Bluk, Shelezyaka and the Third Planet of the Medusa system, where, as a result, an insidious conspiracy of intergalactic criminals led by Veselchak was revealed.

A warning: the Govorun bird is smart and quick-witted.

"Stevenson's Legacy" from "Treasure Planet"

For romantics and lovers of classic literature, another dream spaceship from the Disney studio. It plows the expanses of the Universe no worse than all the spacecraft mentioned in the selection, only this one is a truly “ship” ship, with sails, spars, rigging and other things. The crew is standard (captain, assistants, boatswain, sailors, cabin boys ...), navigation by compass and maps, control by shouting “Hang up on the yards!”, Even seasickness - everything is like on “earthly” ships. Here you can even fall overboard and meet pirates - still, this is open space.

A warning: if you see a suspicious cyborg cook in the kitchen of the ship, make a suspicious face.