Date: 4-AUG-1987 08:44
From: Jon Davis
Sender: DAVISJE
Subject: Re: Tantilin Class (or Let's talk about water....)
To: [email removed]@[email removed]
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>Date: 3-AUG-1987 19:18:50.29
>Sender: [email removed]@[email removed]
>Subject: Re: Tantilin Class - Heavy freighter design
>To: [email removed]
>> Date: 3-AUG-1987 10:17
>> From: Jon Davis ([email removed])
>> Subject: Tantilin Class - Heavy freighter design
>> To: [email removed]@[email removed]
>> Tantilin Class
>> bulk food, water, and petroleum transportation.
^^^^^
>I can understand the need for inter-system food transportation, and
>inter-system petroleum transportation, but inter-system WATER transportation?
>Give me a 600-ton non-starship and I'll take your water-merchant on, using the
>large quantities of ice found anywhere there are planets, moons, or asteroid
>belts. I'll run you out of business faster than you can say "Trade"
I'll agree with you that an inter-system water transport would not
coexist with a dedicated non-starship operating in a system. However,
I could argue that there are a large number of frontier outposts which
may not have the same dedicated water support, but would contract out
for either inter-system or intra-system water delivery for their
survival.
Given that such a contractual agreement would be economically
hindering for a long term proposal, a system would eventually hire
non-starship services for water, provided that a readily convertable
source of water existed in-system.
You must also realize that there is additional expense on obtaining
the water. The least expensive method of loading the water into a
ship as cargo is in liquid form. Pumping mechanisms are cheaper and
more efficient than chopping up ice. Liquid water will also fill the
cargo space bladder most efficiently. Once the ship is enroute, the
water can be frozen for easier transport, if desired. Reheating upon
arrival from the power plant would permit pumping stations to unload
the ship.
>I personally don't believe there is an economic justification for ice-pirates or
>"V"-style "visitors". :-) :-) :-)
Again, it all depends on the economics of getting the water. Surely a
technologically advanced race as the "Visitors" could get water from
nearly any system with asteroids and planets with ice caps like you
mentioned. Liquid form is the easiest to load. Therefore, Earth is
an ideal location for the "visitors" water supply. Besides, if they
wanted water they could take fresh water out of the Great Lakes
since the lakes are suffering from very high water levels...
All you had to do was ask...
Suffice to say that the Tantilin class transport is equipped to
transport bulk liquids, either milk, corn syrup, liquid natural gas,
herbicide, or Perrier.... (but hopefully not in the same bladders) :-)
Jon Davis
[email removed]
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