What is this spaceship?

[Kaona]

There are few shuttles attached to the main rocket.
I never heard this kind of project before.

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3306938&type=lg

[Kaona]

There are few shuttles attached to the main rocket.
I never heard this kind of project before.

http://media.1up.com/media?id=3306938&type=lg

[pettyofficerj]

A project like that, obviously would allow for more astronauts to be sent into space at a time, but I never heard or seen anything like that either.

I wouldn't rule it out, as NASA probably has something like that in the works. Instead of having multiple launches, why not modify the properties of one single rocket-based launch to compensate for extra weight and drag.

Probably more cost effective.

The days of huge starships aren't around yet, but in the future, I would expect something like what was seen in Star Trek.

[PrinceCaspian5]

It probably has something to do with that space station that had the marines on it that they talk about in the back-story,
Just a guess

[atacms]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PrinceCaspian5:
It probably has something to do with that satellite that had the marines on it that they talk about in the back-story,
Just a guess </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think you're right. It seems like each "shuttle" on the side might actually be transporting a load of US Marines. As the EGM article said that the "Freedom Star" was a space based military station that allowed the US to send troops to anywhere in the world within 90 minutes.

Believe it or not, there are some studies going on for this, so this isn't something the developers pulled out of their head.

Here's some links and images:
http://img.timeinc.net/popsci/images/2006/12/spacemarines_485.jpg

http://www.defensetech.org/images/spacemarines_ss_1.jpg

http://op-for.com/marines_in_space.jpg

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviationspace/f2c1d65a5f59...0004eecbccdrcrd.html (http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviationspace/f2c1d65a5f59f010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html)

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/530/1

[gatrfan850]

The spaceshuttle(s) in this screenshot is fake and unrealistic.

The Space Shuttle's duties until its retirement in 2010 is solely to complete the ISS.

After 2010, the Space Shuttle will be replaced by the spacecraft Orion and Ares launch vehicles. The spacecrafts main focus will be on completing missions to the moon and mars, starting in 2014 or 2015.

[gatrfan850]

I didn't think about the USMC. It's unrealistic but plausible.

But hey, they can do whatever they want. As long as it looks cool!

[zsorrell]

or it may be carrying weapons of mass destruction to space stations. Those missiles from the trailer had to come from somewhere.

[pettyofficerj]

In the future, as the technology improves, and more countries reach space-flight, you can pretty much rest assured that the pearly gates to mars, will be guarded by US marines...

god forbid we find a planet that has some resources we can use on earth...

[UberGoose23]

actually the Marine plot device is entirely plausible...it's simply saying the MEUs of today will be much more advanced, rather than being deployed from assault ships like the Kearsarge or Wasp, we have guys coming from space...although it sounds a bit strange it isn't an idea which has not been thought of.

[zsorrell]

THe kinks of having space marines probably wont be worked out by 2020. They still dont have prototypes of the crafts they'd use yet and if the operations have low success rates it wont be worth doing. Imagine sending a company of marines to stop an invasion and 2 of 5 ships dont make it. THat could be alot of troops since the craft they are attempting to design could hold up to 22 troops. thats 44 of 110. With 66 men left on landing imagine the welcome party. Sorry we invited more guys but they didnt make it.

[pettyofficerj]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by zsorrell:
THe kinks of having space marines probably wont be worked out by 2020. They still dont have prototypes of the crafts they'd use yet and if the operations have low success rates it wont be worth doing. Imagine sending a company of marines to stop an invasion and 2 of 5 ships dont make it. THat could be alot of troops since the craft they are attempting to design could hold up to 22 troops. thats 44 of 110. With 66 men left on landing imagine the welcome party. Sorry we invited more guys but they didnt make it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The first step, I think, of deploying "Space Marines," will come in the form of sending up a squad, or platoon, to a space station along with NASA astronauts. They'll probably try to perform the same functions that they do here on earth, but in space, and maybe on the moon. Battle Drills, security and emergency functions, setting up field bases, etc, to see what it would be like in those type of environments.

[snapkracklepop]

One thing you could do instead of having shuttles land you could have them go just into the atmosphere and the soldiers could drop in. I remember they did it a while back were they dropped a guy like that.

[PrinceCaspian5]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by snapkracklepop:
One thing you could do instead of having shuttles land you could have them go just into the atmosphere and the soldiers could drop in. I remember they did it a while back were they dropped a guy like that. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
But if you drop them from such high altitude the winds would spread they out and push them far away from their target zone.

[snapkracklepop]

You would need special equipment. I bet they could find a way around it. I know they have a piece of equipment that they can attach to parachutes on crates to guide them to the drop zone, maybe maybe you could do that with people.

[atacms]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by snapkracklepop:
You would need special equipment. I bet they could find a way around it. I know they have a piece of equipment that they can attach to parachutes on crates to guide them to the drop zone, maybe maybe you could do that with people. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We're already using something like this for para dropped supplies guided by GPS.

http://www.gpsworld.com/gpsworld/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=119570

I gave a link for glider parachutes that a German firm developed. Here's a pic in case you missed it and a linkhttp://www.engadget.com/media/2006/06/gryphon.jpg


http://www.spelco.eu/edit/content/file/DV141059_en/Bild%2006.JPG/Get.aspx

[Kaona]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by atacms:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by snapkracklepop:
You would need special equipment. I bet they could find a way around it. I know they have a piece of equipment that they can attach to parachutes on crates to guide them to the drop zone, maybe maybe you could do that with people. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We're already using something like this for para dropped supplies guided by GPS.

http://www.gpsworld.com/gpsworld/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=119570

I gave a link for glider parachutes that a German firm developed. Here's a pic in case you missed it and a linkhttp://www.engadget.com/media/2006/06/gryphon.jpg


http://www.spelco.eu/edit/content/file/DV141059_en/Bild%2006.JPG/Get.aspx </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL, I thought that was a funny pic. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/35.gif

[KJ_White]

alot of people are looking way to far into this. you have to remember its a fictional story, with some facts tied in to it.

[Dutch_Jester]

well the things they talk about could be the facts tied in.

[snapkracklepop]

Everything in the game is supposed to be based off of real weapons or research. This spaceship probably is'nt real but the concept is.

[LordTenacious]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by pettyofficerj:
In the future, as the technology improves, and more countries reach space-flight, you can pretty much rest assured that the pearly gates to mars, will be guarded by US marines...

god forbid we find a planet that has some resources we can use on earth... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Forget planets. Think asteroids.
Some asteroids have been discovered to be made entirely of pure copper, pure iron, or even more weird, pure gold. That last one is down right insane. I'll find a link to that article if I find the time.

[varalf]

The space craft look similar enough to current designs to be a reasonable extrapolation of what we might have...also, some places are conducting tests to develop a suit that someone can dive from orbit and land safely....kinda like a really high HALO jump.....and it's semi reasonable to see the military be interested in that. as to the winds blowing them off course theory, if you shoot a beacon down before any jumps any tranied HALO jumper can land in a designated area....it's the getting out part that's a little tricky

[atacms]

I'm guessing that due to the strategic defenses we won't get to see the transorbital hypersonic delivery of weapons or troops?

http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/bigtears.gif

[DEADLYAGENT1980]

the concept is real. virgin airlines, along with some other big companies like A.A. are looking into this for planes. it's expected within the next ten years. so i'm sure the military has been on this idea for a while.

[KJ_White]

i didn't kno alcoholics anonymous made planes http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif
jks

[Da_Costa1982]

http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/88.gif

A.A. means that to me too.

[Mr.Hanky2005]

Lol......

[S.V.A.R.O.G.]

LOL indeed...

[AlphaDelta219]

american airlines maybe? teh first time i read htat post i thought he meant alcoholics anonymous too.