What is the size and number of ships on the mission?

• I would think at least two ships would be sent. Unless this is some secret mission that would be stopped by the government. I would think the ships would be sent only a few days apart. Bit if the ships are extremely expensive than only one would be sent. We only sent one to the moon but Columbus took three. I supose it depends on how reliable the ship is expected to be. Maybe two to different destinations but they fly together for the first few years. --EmptyKube - 24 Jun 2004 ---

• How many ships depends on what sort of mission this is suppossed to be. If we have trip duartions in the thousands or millions of years I can easily envision multiple ships losing not only contact with, but knowledge of each other. --EmptyKube - 24 Jun 2004 ---

• Having multiple ships opens up alot of very interesting story possibilities, but considering the cost I would think that multiple ships might be sent to different destinations as a way of getting more "bang" for the "buck", so to speak. With multiple potential colonies you get a greater chance for success then if you dump all your eggs in one basket and something fails. --EmptyKube - 24 Jun 2004 ---

• I envision one ship for each destination planet (though more than one planet in each system could mean more than one ship). I think the Sol system lauches one ship at a time. One is constructed (first launch would be the most important), and then it is sent into space. A second is constructed, then sent somewhere else in the galaxy. Then a third is built, etc... In this manner, all work is concentrated on a ship to build it as "quick" as possible, as oppose to building several ships at once, and slowing down the process. Perhaps, eventually, a mass production process would be discovered, but not in the initial phases. Again, just my first opinion, I'm open for all kinds of debate here. Thoughts? -- Main.CmAmidon - 24 Jun 2004

• Empty brings up a good point. So good that I created a new bullet for it below. See [Communication?]. Multiple ships to one target means that if one ship has problems the other can help or even pick up its crew. This can be a rescue story. Or CM's idea of multiple planets in one system brings up the idea of one ship with two ecologies. That would be an excellent way to create conflict. Maybe an asteroid ship is large enough that a second is too much redundency. OK, one ship per star. -- Main.DaveK - 25 Jun 2004 ---