Difference between revisions of "Deuterium Trade"
(Created page with "The Deuterium Trade in The World began around A.Y. 3500 when advances in FTL technology made commercial access to interstellar travel economically viable for the f...") |
Siddharth1 (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | The Deuterium Trade in [[The World]] began around [[A.Y.]] 3500 when advances in [[FTL]] technology made commercial access to interstellar travel economically viable for the first time. While further advances in technology would make the trade | + | The Deuterium Trade in [[The World]] began around [[A.Y.]] 3500 when advances in [[FTL]] technology made commercial access to interstellar travel economically viable for the first time. While further advances in technology would make the trade obsolete within 500 years, it became a well-established institution well past the economic need. |
==History== | ==History== | ||
| + | |||
===Pre-Trade=== | ===Pre-Trade=== | ||
| − | Prior to the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], space- | + | Prior to the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], space-trade was rare and mainly between governments. While journeys between close solar systems were easy, trips of a few thousand light years were very arduous and costly. Most trade was based on colonization, with ships carrying finished goods that could not be produced locally. |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | Journeys | + | This changed in A.Y. 3442. Following the encounter with the [[Adam Cadman II]], the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] released a new class of [[Starship Engine Systems#FTL Drives|FTL drive]] with a ten-fold increase in speed. While the technology would take some time to filter down through the market (for at least a century, the Foundation were the only ones capable of constructing them), it eventually brought about space-based economies. Journeys could now be completed in mere months. The technology to cut that down even further existed as well, in the form of the [[Starship Engine Systems#Deuterium Drive|Deuterium Drive]]. Deuterium-based systems, as opposed to ion-vacuum systems, allowed for dramatic improvements in sublight speeds. The deuterium-fueled N-space drive could cover a distance in weeks, which an ion-vacuum system might have taken years. |
This made trade, tourism, and casual exploration economically viable for the first time. | This made trade, tourism, and casual exploration economically viable for the first time. | ||
===The Trade Begins=== | ===The Trade Begins=== | ||
| − | The downside | + | The downside was the need for refined deuterium: expensive to produce planet-side but quite common in space. Gathering, refining, and storing the materials was time-consuming and technologically-challenging. While a ship could be made self-sufficient by gathering its own deuterium, doing so slowed travel-times, ion-vacuum engines were still better. |
| − | + | Mobile deuterium refineries began to ply the major trade routes, selling fuel. Because the technology to do so was common, competition was fierce, and prices stayed manageable. Trade ships could easily buy deuterium to power their engines, make trade missions faster, and still have a tidy profit margin. | |
| − | The earliest refineries were old ships | + | The earliest refineries were old ships with [[Bussard Collector]]s and could be modified cheaply. Some did not have functional FTL drives. Old cargo freighters were a favorite fit; private operators could, at a price achievable by modest means, purchase a derelict ship, get it running, and sell deuterium. This made many private citizens rich, but the trade was even heavily supported by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] for a time. |
| − | By the mid 3-600s, private operators had largely been supplanted by | + | By the mid 3-600s, private operators had largely been supplanted by consortia and government-sponsored collectives, but the trade was still thriving strongly enough to keep prices and wages competitive. |
===Bottom Drops Out=== | ===Bottom Drops Out=== | ||
| Line 25: | Line 24: | ||
Then, the first hybrid drives were introduced. Based on ion-vacuum technology, they used deuterium-injection and could reach 50-PSL on a fraction of the fuel required for a pure deuterium drive. While retrofits to existing engines were difficult and expensive, the hybrid drive became the must-have item for all new ship construction. The stiff competition at first forced out the few remaining private operators, but brought them back as many of the larger corporations either left the industry or folded entirely. The biggest change to the industry was a shift to mobile stations. Instead of semi-stationary refineries that ships would need to visit, dedicated deuterium-haulers were built to carry the fuel directly to customers. | Then, the first hybrid drives were introduced. Based on ion-vacuum technology, they used deuterium-injection and could reach 50-PSL on a fraction of the fuel required for a pure deuterium drive. While retrofits to existing engines were difficult and expensive, the hybrid drive became the must-have item for all new ship construction. The stiff competition at first forced out the few remaining private operators, but brought them back as many of the larger corporations either left the industry or folded entirely. The biggest change to the industry was a shift to mobile stations. Instead of semi-stationary refineries that ships would need to visit, dedicated deuterium-haulers were built to carry the fuel directly to customers. | ||
| − | In A.Y. 3864, the [[Condor]] first flew. This reconnaissance fighter was capable of a staggering 70-PSL+ on pure ion-vacuum | + | In A.Y. 3864, the [[Condor]] first flew. This reconnaissance fighter was capable of a staggering 70-PSL+ on pure ion-vacuum, and even faster on deuterium drive. |
Revision as of 20:09, 20 June 2020
The Deuterium Trade in The World began around A.Y. 3500 when advances in FTL technology made commercial access to interstellar travel economically viable for the first time. While further advances in technology would make the trade obsolete within 500 years, it became a well-established institution well past the economic need.
History
Pre-Trade
Prior to the mid Third Age, space-trade was rare and mainly between governments. While journeys between close solar systems were easy, trips of a few thousand light years were very arduous and costly. Most trade was based on colonization, with ships carrying finished goods that could not be produced locally.
This changed in A.Y. 3442. Following the encounter with the Adam Cadman II, the Gudersnipe Foundation released a new class of FTL drive with a ten-fold increase in speed. While the technology would take some time to filter down through the market (for at least a century, the Foundation were the only ones capable of constructing them), it eventually brought about space-based economies. Journeys could now be completed in mere months. The technology to cut that down even further existed as well, in the form of the Deuterium Drive. Deuterium-based systems, as opposed to ion-vacuum systems, allowed for dramatic improvements in sublight speeds. The deuterium-fueled N-space drive could cover a distance in weeks, which an ion-vacuum system might have taken years.
This made trade, tourism, and casual exploration economically viable for the first time.
The Trade Begins
The downside was the need for refined deuterium: expensive to produce planet-side but quite common in space. Gathering, refining, and storing the materials was time-consuming and technologically-challenging. While a ship could be made self-sufficient by gathering its own deuterium, doing so slowed travel-times, ion-vacuum engines were still better.
Mobile deuterium refineries began to ply the major trade routes, selling fuel. Because the technology to do so was common, competition was fierce, and prices stayed manageable. Trade ships could easily buy deuterium to power their engines, make trade missions faster, and still have a tidy profit margin.
The earliest refineries were old ships with Bussard Collectors and could be modified cheaply. Some did not have functional FTL drives. Old cargo freighters were a favorite fit; private operators could, at a price achievable by modest means, purchase a derelict ship, get it running, and sell deuterium. This made many private citizens rich, but the trade was even heavily supported by the Gudersnipe Foundation for a time.
By the mid 3-600s, private operators had largely been supplanted by consortia and government-sponsored collectives, but the trade was still thriving strongly enough to keep prices and wages competitive.
Bottom Drops Out
Ion-vacuum technology had been improving all the while. When deuterium-drives first became standard, a typically civilian-grade ion-vacuum engine had a maximum exhaust velocity of around 24-PSL. A deuterium drive could easily double that, so they were the obvious choice. By the 3-700s, the commercialization of space had brought may private developers into the starship market, and in turn made for vast improvements in technology. Ion-vacuum engines could now achieve 30-PSL, but deuterium drives were still at double, now 60.
Then, the first hybrid drives were introduced. Based on ion-vacuum technology, they used deuterium-injection and could reach 50-PSL on a fraction of the fuel required for a pure deuterium drive. While retrofits to existing engines were difficult and expensive, the hybrid drive became the must-have item for all new ship construction. The stiff competition at first forced out the few remaining private operators, but brought them back as many of the larger corporations either left the industry or folded entirely. The biggest change to the industry was a shift to mobile stations. Instead of semi-stationary refineries that ships would need to visit, dedicated deuterium-haulers were built to carry the fuel directly to customers.
In A.Y. 3864, the Condor first flew. This reconnaissance fighter was capable of a staggering 70-PSL+ on pure ion-vacuum, and even faster on deuterium drive.
