Has anyone given any thought as to how the engines on Lego spaceships would work?

My theory is that they use Ion thrusters (Which actually exist in a prototype form already).

Take Mars Mission for example.

I think that the energy crystals (Which are supposed to store huge amounts of energy) power advanced Ion Thrusters which are 1000's of time

more powerful than todays.

What are your theories? :)

Ion drives are only really of any use on long-distance and long-term flights. They might sound all science-fictiony but in the end it's just another form of rocket, and as such still has to follow Newton's laws of motion. The problem is that the mass of the ions being expelled is so low, that the acceleration effect is tiny, and takes a long time to generate any significant speed.

Given how most space vehicles seem to ignore all the laws of physics and act as if they were flying through an atmosphere, my bet would be for a gravitational displacement engine. In short the vessel generates a gravity 'bubble' in space which draws the ship towards it, as the bubble position is moved the ship follows it, which would allow for the tight turns and possibly even the aerodynamic behaviour.

My theory is Mars Mission was powered by green Martian jelly squeezin's. You collect some Martians, boil them and render them down to soup stock. Octan for the win!

Snip.

I think that you are thinking about today's Ion drives. Possibly in the 2040's they have Ion drives with faster acceleration, that, when paired with the energy crystals, is on par or better with today's high-speed Jet engines in terms of speed and acceleration (Remember, it is much more difficult to fly on Mars because of the extremely thin atmosphere and no oxygen. Jet engines need oxygen and a thicker atmosphere(Ideally), and while the thin atmosphere is not too much of a problem for some Jet engines (flying at ground level on Mars is like flying 117795 ft high on earth, assuming 600 Pascals on Mars), I would like to see Jet engines work with non-combustable(!) Carbon Dioxide, which is mostly what the atmosphere on mars is made of). Still, I understand the reasons for your counter-argument (which are valid).

Your Gravitational Displacement Engine sounds interesting, but I doubt that it would exist in 2040, beause it sounds like Star Trek's Warp drive, and the show takes place in the 23rd-24th centueries (I should mention that in the Trekkie universe, the prototype Warp drive was invented in the 2060's). I suppose it is entirely possible that the Displacement engine could exist in the Blacktron era (see http://www.eurobrick...pic=76493&st=25, post 35).

Snip.

Did the astros not arrive on Mars before discovering the Jellies? I doubt your theory for that reason (Besides the cruelty of it. Even the Aliens do not deserve that! ).

Keep the suggestions coming! :)

Edit: Added a bit at the end.

Edited July 18, 201410 yr by fossil1999

Sorry for bumping and double posting, I have a good point to add.

The Martian atmosphere is composed >95% of Carbon Dioxide(CO2). That sounds like a lot, but the Martian atmosphere has only 0.6% the pressure of ours at sea level.

So basically the Martian atmosphere is some CO2 and not much else. And a tiny amount of CO2 at that. Even if that was 100% Oxygen, for our Jet Planes, it would be like flying +22 miles high on Earth. And we all know that CO2 is Non-combustable.

So there is some Good news and Bad news:

The Bad news is that you would need a very alttiude Jet Engine that can breath in CO2 and Combust it to fly on Mars.

The Good news is that if you mix Magnesium powder with CO2, it becomes Combustable!

What all this means, and my whole point is, is that if you design a special High alttiude jet engine, if you also design it to in take CO2 effecentlly, and finally if you bring a supply of Magnesium powder on-board the Martian airplane(As well as a supply of Jet fuel), you might be able to fly on Mars using jet engines.

Now, this does not entirely make the MM airplanes possible, but maybe in 2045, it is possible.

Sorry for the long and slightly scientific post.