Star Trek Enterprise Tested to Mach 5

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Star Trek Enterprise Tested to Mach 5 707

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:22PM from the to-much-spare-time dept.

Sporkinum writes "University of Queensland Laser Diagnostics Dept has a page where they put the Enterprise through the gauntlet in a mach 5 wind tunnel. It did surprisingly well."

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Star Trek Enterprise Tested to Mach 5

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Good to know... (Score:5, Funny)

by Squeebee ( 719115 ) writes: <squeebee@[ ]il.com ['gma' in gap]> on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:24PM (#7328977)

I was planning to use a scale model of the Enterprise as a hood ornament for my SR-71 Blackbird.

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Thank goodness the Enterprise is aerodynamic. (Score:5, Funny)

by gpinzone ( 531794 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:24PM (#7328979) Homepage Journal

All that wind resistance in space could have meant certain doom for the crew!

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its good to know... (Score:3, Funny)

by nizo ( 81281 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:25PM (#7329002) Homepage Journal

It is good to know that a fictitious ship designed to operate in a vacuum in a fictitious universe can handle mach 5 winds..... no really it is.

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Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

by nebaz ( 453974 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:26PM (#7329015)

We all know that simply rerouting the EPS conduit to emit a low level anti-tachyon beam will nullify any damage space junk will create.

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definitions? (Score:5, Funny)

by flynt ( 248848 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:26PM (#7329017)

How is ending up broken into a dozen pieces considered doing "suprisingly well"???

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Space Debris . . . (Score:4, Funny)

by Dausha ( 546002 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:28PM (#7329029) Homepage

It appears that the space debris is a gum wrapper. This demonstrates that giant space aliens should be tidy when travelling lest their rubbish destroy our mission "to boldly go where no man has gone before."

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Re:What does this matter if... (Score:5, Funny)

by Doomrat ( 615771 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:28PM (#7329034) Homepage

More to the point, there is no Starship Enterprise, freak.

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Page is over 3 years old (Score:5, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:28PM (#7329035)



Nice to see some up-to-date stuff here on Slashdot.

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Last picture (Score:5, Funny)

by British ( 51765 ) writes: <british1500@gmail.com> on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:28PM (#7329038) Homepage Journal

I really guess "She canna take it anymore!"

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Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)

by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:29PM (#7329046)

Comment removed based on user account deletion

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Its a trap! (Score:5, Funny)

by chobee ( 555901 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:30PM (#7329055)

This is like an uber-geek/nerd role call.

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Mach 5? pffft.... (Score:5, Funny)

by PissingInTheWind ( 573929 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:30PM (#7329057)

5 times the speed of sound is just about 0.0005% of the speed of light. That's not a conslusive test, it's like doing a car crash test at a speed of around 5 millimeters per hour.

I hope they realize they still have a *lot* of work to do.

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Re:Scotty (Score:5, Funny)

by GMontag ( 42283 ) writes: <gmontag AT guymontag DOT com> on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:32PM (#7329081) Homepage Journal

Of course! Scotty is an Engineer and Kirk is just management, silly.

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Star Trek OS (Score:5, Funny)

by Reverend528 ( 585549 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:32PM (#7329082) Homepage

For a second I misread it and thought that the article would be about Star Trek OS, Enterprise Edition running on a Mach 5 Microkernel. Imagine my disappointment.

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Re:funding (Score:4, Funny)

by samhalliday ( 653858 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:32PM (#7329084) Homepage Journal

Then again if I had a mach 5 wind tunnel there would be no end of things that I would try inside.
well, id think not... mach 5 biting at your "end" is gotta burn something off!

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Mach 5 wind tunnel?...... (Score:4, Funny)

by ratfynk ( 456467 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:32PM (#7329087) Journal

that blows me away...sorry

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Re:Simple... (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:33PM (#7329103)

I thought you just had to reverse the polarity...

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OMG: mrsev Dead at 54 (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:33PM (#7329109)

Mrsev was found dead in his mach 5 wind tunnel, pants around his ankles, member in his hand.
We are going to Miss Mrsev. He was truly a Slashdot Icon, being the first person to pleasure himself at Mach 5.

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Re:sigh.... (Score:3, Funny)

by cybermace5 ( 446439 ) writes: <g.ryan@macetech.com> on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:35PM (#7329124) Homepage Journal

Ah, but you misunderstand. What CmdrTaco was really trying to say was "To much spare time!"

Imagine it as a sort of toast to slacking.

*clank of Mountain Dew cans*

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Re:Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

by hellfire ( 86129 ) writes: <deviladvNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:35PM (#7329129) Homepage

But not if the space junk is actually a highly evolved space-dwelling creature which was currently unknown before and cannot be detected with sensors. If that's the case, they'll need to uncouple the Heisenberg compensator.

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Re:Thank goodness the Enterprise is aerodynamic. (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:35PM (#7329131)

but this sort of thing is still way unnecessarily cool, and precisely the sort of ilk I think we geeks should be encouraging.

Shouldn't we encourage girls to date us?

Oh wait, since performing aerodynamic tests on an Enterprise model is cool, we'll impress them that way. Kewl.

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Re:Mach 5? pffft.... (Score:5, Funny)

by broller ( 74249 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:36PM (#7329146)

5 times the speed of sound is just about 0.0005% of the speed of light.

Duh, it was a SCALE MODEL. The real one has survived a lot more than Mach 5. Sheesh!

Oh, and how often do you think the real Enterprise travels at the speed of light in an atomosphere?

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This is pretty wild... (Score:5, Funny)

by DarkSarin ( 651985 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:36PM (#7329150) Homepage Journal

I personally find this great. After all, I know that's exactly what I would do if I had a wind tunnel. I would also be testing the aerodynamic properties of the Millenium Falcon (which was designed for atmospheric travel), and numerous other fictitious "space ships". I would probably also test aluminum cans, coke bottles, penguins (after all I want to know how fast a penguin can go, having played too much tux racer), and numerous other objects.

Of course, this is the exact reason no one wants to give me access to a wind tunnel! I'd probably break it.

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Re:mach 5 (Score:4, Funny)

by pclminion ( 145572 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:37PM (#7329159)

He may rest in peace, but the model ship rests in pieces.

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Re:Simple... (Score:2, Funny)

by bev_tech_rob ( 313485 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:37PM (#7329168)

Or just boost the output of the navigational deflector....

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Re:Amazing (Score:4, Funny)

by rjelks ( 635588 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:38PM (#7329173) Homepage

You damn green-blooded vulcans are always trying to hold us humans back.

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Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)

by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:38PM (#7329180)

Comment removed based on user account deletion

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Re:Thank goodness the Enterprise is aerodynamic. (Score:2, Funny)

by jonabbey ( 2498 ) * writes: <jonabbey@ganymeta.org> on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:41PM (#7329220) Homepage

You mean you're not married?

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Re:How useless (Score:2, Funny)

by Crimson Midget ( 41436 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:42PM (#7329232) Homepage

Not to mention the women they'll get...

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Re:Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

by MoxCamel ( 20484 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:44PM (#7329252)

We all know that simply rerouting the EPS conduit to emit a low level anti-tachyon beam will nullify any damage space junk will create.
Fool! You forgot to route it through the deflector array!

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Re:WTF? They only tested NCC-1701A! (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:47PM (#7329293)

Only the saucer module of 1701D made planetfall, and it was damaged beyond salvage (I'd love to be a member of the pre-warp civilization in that system whey they stumble accross THAT little suprise on their neighboring planet). NX-01 looks like it MIGHT be able to make a landing intact, but the fact that its equipped with shuttle pods and transporters seems to suggest it wasn't intended to do so (at least not regularly). Wasn't Voyager able to land? I can't remem ber for sure. The Defiant is the only one that ever not only flew atmospherically a number of times, but maintained maneurverability in an atmosphere.

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Re:What does this matter if... (Score:5, Funny)

by Chaset ( 552418 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:48PM (#7329306) Homepage Journal

Don't get me wrong - I love fiction and escapism, I just think that the line between it and reality should be kept blurred.
This looks like the opposite of what you're advocating. I think you meant the line should be kept clear.
Now pardon me while I try to get this holodeck simulation to terminate.
"Computer, End program!"
"Computer!"
"Computer!?"
"End this simulation, NOW!"
..Crap, I'm still here.

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Re:Mach 5? pffft.... (Score:5, Funny)

by mchappee ( 22897 ) * writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @12:55PM (#7329369)

>>it's like doing a car crash test at a speed of around 5 millimeters per hour.

Which would result in about $2000.00 damage to any modern car. Dirty bastards...

Matthew

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Re:A nifty little visualization of a wind tunnel.. (Score:4, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:00PM (#7329423)

In Mozilla, you need to download the newest CVS build. Then, apply the patch described in attachment #15 to bug #1378805. Then recompile with the APPLET_EXP_SUPPORT flag turned on. Run the moztest_applet_enable program to fix the resultant binary, and you're all set!

Isn't open source grand?

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Re:Eh? (Score:5, Funny)

by pmz ( 462998 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:01PM (#7329427) Homepage

Warp 1 is stated to be c in both the TOS and TNG warp scales in the Star Trek TNG Technical Manual.

Okay, of all of us who actually do own both manuals, who are proud of it and who are slightly ashamed of it? I was proud of it, but now I tend to keep them hidden...

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K1CK1N' 1T 0|D 5K00L! (Score:2, Funny)

by Thud457 ( 234763 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:01PM (#7329439) Homepage Journal

Everyone knows chicks dig pipe stress freaks and crystallography weenies!

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Re:WTF? They only tested NCC-1701A! (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:09PM (#7329496)

The Defiant is the only one that ever not only flew atmospherically a number of times, but maintained maneurverability in an atmosphere.

Tough little ship.

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Re:Mach 5? pffft.... (Score:5, Funny)

by Fulcrum of Evil ( 560260 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:13PM (#7329526)

Oh, and how often do you think the real Enterprise travels at the speed of light in an atomosphere?

At most, once.

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Re:What does this matter if... (Score:5, Funny)

by Tattva ( 53901 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:14PM (#7329537) Homepage Journal

In space no one can hear you squeal with geekish delight...

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Well duh (Score:5, Funny)

by jazman ( 9111 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:18PM (#7329564)

Of course it blew up. They didn't have the deflector dish or the shields activated. Any idiot would know without them that it would blow up as soon as it started moving at any significant speed.

I'd like to see them retest with shields and deflector - then let's see how well it performs!

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Re:Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

by gid13 ( 620803 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:22PM (#7329598)

Officer: "Do you know how fast you were going?" Heisenberg: "No, but I know EXACTLY where I was"

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Re:Think before you post... (Score:5, Funny)

by Lumpy ( 12016 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:25PM (#7329645) Homepage

Get a life.

Mister Shatner? is that you?

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Re:Good to know... (Score:3, Funny)

by Mattcelt ( 454751 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:31PM (#7329718)

I know this is offtopic, but I actually got to touch an SR-71 Blackbird on Saturday! That was an experience I never thought I'd be able to have. It was amazing.

Thankfully, the police were very understanding when the silent alarm called them...

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Re:Think before you post... (Score:2, Funny)

by jafac ( 1449 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:35PM (#7329783) Homepage

SO I guess the pertenent question is:
Mach 5 at what altitude?

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Re:Mach 5? (Score:4, Funny)

by T3kno ( 51315 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:36PM (#7329795) Homepage

It's actually the speed of his joke flying over your head.

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Don't Be a Git (Score:4, Funny)

by virg_mattes ( 230616 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:44PM (#7329878)

> I want to see them try this with the Borg cube.

Fool. Borg cubes travel in transwarp conduits. They don't have to deal with this sort of problem. Fool. Federation fool.

Virg

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Re:Transporter Speed (Score:3, Funny)

by nstrom ( 152310 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @01:56PM (#7329989)

Even one single lepton out of place in the reassembly and you've materially changed that person's psychic makeup.

Jeez... what do you think the Hiesenberg Compensators are for?

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Re:Simple... (Score:2, Funny)

by dcsmith ( 137996 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @02:09PM (#7330114)

Heisenberg continued...
"You might want to check with the cat in that box, though. If he's still alive he might know how fast we were going."

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Re:Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

by WNight ( 23683 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @03:06PM (#7330803) Homepage

Well, it sounds stupid, but they only used charged neutrons! :)

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Re:Page is over 3 years old (Score:5, Funny)

by Linker3000 ( 626634 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @03:42PM (#7331239) Journal

'00 could be 3000 - maybe the page hasn't been created yet and it's just appeared to us through a rift in the time-space continuum.

Really!

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Thus sayeth the Slashdotter... (Score:2, Funny)

by halivar ( 535827 ) writes: <bfelger&gmail,com> on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @03:54PM (#7331365)

Kind of like paying to go to a Trekkie convention and laughing at the guy who has a slide rule in his pocket.

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Re:how warp drive works (Score:4, Funny)

by lone_marauder ( 642787 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @05:23PM (#7332392)

The matter inside the bubble is essentially motionless relative to itself.

I don't know about you, but I just don't trust any matter that isn't motionless relative to itself.

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Re:OK. I just had to run the numbers on this (Score:3, Funny)

by orthogonal ( 588627 ) writes: on Tuesday October 28, 2003 @06:33PM (#7333130) Journal

[Snip: lots of erudite calculations about a fictional spaceship, concluding with:]
If you run the numbers you'll find that, at warp 10, the windows of Ten Forward will rise from a space normal temperature of 4K to the melting point of 933.52 K in 2.73 hours.

And not only that! Did you know the Ringworld is unstable!?

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There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

Good to know... (Score:5, Funny)

Thank goodness the Enterprise is aerodynamic. (Score:5, Funny)

its good to know... (Score:3, Funny)

Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

definitions? (Score:5, Funny)

Space Debris . . . (Score:4, Funny)

Re:What does this matter if... (Score:5, Funny)

Page is over 3 years old (Score:5, Funny)

Last picture (Score:5, Funny)

Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)

Its a trap! (Score:5, Funny)

Mach 5? pffft.... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Scotty (Score:5, Funny)

Star Trek OS (Score:5, Funny)

Re:funding (Score:4, Funny)

Mach 5 wind tunnel?...... (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Simple... (Score:2, Funny)

OMG: mrsev Dead at 54 (Score:1, Funny)

Re:sigh.... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Thank goodness the Enterprise is aerodynamic. (Score:1, Funny)

Re:Mach 5? pffft.... (Score:5, Funny)

This is pretty wild... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:mach 5 (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Simple... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Amazing (Score:4, Funny)

Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Thank goodness the Enterprise is aerodynamic. (Score:2, Funny)

Re:How useless (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:WTF? They only tested NCC-1701A! (Score:1, Funny)

Re:What does this matter if... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Mach 5? pffft.... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:A nifty little visualization of a wind tunnel.. (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Eh? (Score:5, Funny)

K1CK1N' 1T 0|D 5K00L! (Score:2, Funny)

Re:WTF? They only tested NCC-1701A! (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Mach 5? pffft.... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What does this matter if... (Score:5, Funny)

Well duh (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Think before you post... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Good to know... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Think before you post... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Mach 5? (Score:4, Funny)

Don't Be a Git (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Transporter Speed (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Simple... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Simple... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Page is over 3 years old (Score:5, Funny)

Thus sayeth the Slashdotter... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:how warp drive works (Score:4, Funny)

Re:OK. I just had to run the numbers on this (Score:3, Funny)

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