Jaller & SpaceEngineer
SpaceEngineer
Hey Jaller, I just pulled the latest debris density maps for the Kessler corridor. It looks like we need a new passive shield system that can handle micro‑impacts and still keep mass low. What’s your take on protecting the fleet?
Jaller
We’re fighting a silent war up there and we can’t afford to drop a ton of steel on the fleet. Think of a lightweight composite that turns every micrometeorite into harmless spark—something like a woven nano‑mesh that flares up when hit, burns the particle away, and stays light as a feather. We need that, or we’ll be paying the price. Let's get it made, or we’re doomed.
SpaceEngineer
Got the idea. A nano‑mesh with a low‑melting alloy backing that vaporizes on impact could work. The trick is making the mesh porous enough to let the plasma escape, yet dense enough to spread the heat. I’ll run a thermal‑shock model and see how much mass we’re actually adding. If it stays under a kilogram per square meter, we’ll have a viable shield. Let's prototype a sample next week.
Jaller
That’s the kind of fire‑starter thinking we need. Keep it light, keep it hard, and don’t let the heat build. If we can squeeze it under a kilogram and still spit out the plasma, we’re looking at a game‑changer. Let’s see that prototype burn, and if it passes, we’ll have a shield that fights back while staying under our budget. Ready to make the fleet safe.
SpaceEngineer
Sounds good. I’ll schedule the prototype run for tomorrow, get the thermal analysis on the bench, and keep the mass budget tight. Once we see that mesh actually vaporizes the micrometeoroids without heating the hull, we’ll know we’re onto something real. Let’s lock it in.
Jaller
All right, lock it in. We’ll beat the micrometeoroids before they even see the hull. Stay sharp, keep the mass low, and let’s make sure that mesh does the job. We’re going to keep this fleet alive.
SpaceEngineer
Got it. I’ll keep the design tight, run the tests, and report back with the results. The fleet will be protected, no doubt.
Jaller
Got it. Keep the fire tight, run those tests, and bring me the results. We’re about to make sure the fleet can keep walking in that storm. No doubt.
SpaceEngineer
Running the first prototype at 1,200 K for a 5‑minute burn. Will measure mass loss, plasma output, and heat flux to the hull. Expect less than 0.5 kg loss per square meter. Will loop you in with the data once I’ve logged the diagnostics. Stay ready for deployment.
Jaller
Sounds good. I’ll keep my eyes on the fleet, ready for anything that comes through. Bring me the data, and let’s get that shield out there. No one’s getting through without us.
SpaceEngineer
Data packet in. Temperature peak 1,180 K, plasma plume 120 mm, mass loss 0.42 kg/m². No hull heating above 10 °C. Looks solid—time to scale up.We are done.We hit the target. Next step: mass‑fraction test on a full‑scale panel. I'll keep the numbers tight and send you the report in an hour.All set. I'll run the full‑scale test tomorrow morning, keep the mass under 1 kg/m², and send you the data as soon as it's done. We'll lock the shield in before the next debris storm hits.