First Steps (Founding of the Federation) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the MAV's and
five on the habs?" Nick asked.
    "The
MAV's are top heavy; their center of gravity is higher. We should go
the other way, but I can't see it."
    The
engineer pulled up a cad drawing on the table top computer. The
computer was a new addition; Nick had managed to get it and a few
others out of Microsoft and Intel. They also had a couple rooms with
poor man super computers nearby crunching numbers and running
simulations. "The problem is weight and space on the MAV, if we
have five legs it means we have to redesign the tanks on this side.
That means either we have an odd shaped tank and loose fuel, or we
have to shoe horn it into somewhere else and move it around."
    Another
engineer shook her head. "Not going to happen, we are already
building the first prototype in parallel to this design review, it
can't be done without the schedule slipping big time. Not to mention
everything else is where it is because it has to be there!" she
said and then waved in anxiety. "The only things we can
re-arrange are in the lower module. Not going to happen."
    Mario
took a look and hummed. "She's right, it isn't possible. We
could shift a few things here and here, but they are minor." He
took the cad drawing and moved around system modules. He pulled out
the tank then cloned a leg and moved it over. He spun the design with
his hands, getting different views. Casey tapped the box at the top
and the view split so they could see it from multiple angles at once.
    "Yeah,
see, they won’t fit," Mario replied. "So we're stuck
with four on the MAV. The hab is different you said?" he asked
turning to the engineer. The engineer's nodded.
    "Anyway
to go with five?" Nick asked.
    "Why?"
Mario asked mildly, too mildly.
    "Now
don't go riding up on me and turn into super Mario." Nick raised
his hand. "In this case redundancy has its uses. You don't want
to topple over with people inside. If we get a breech they could
easily be killed."
    Mario
grunted. "What is it designed for now?" he asked. He
watched as the engineers changed the design to the Hab.
    "Four
legs, but we have a little space here and here. If we shift these
over this way..." They watched as the engineers pulled modules
over and created a void. “Now drop a leg in, and cut the others
legs down a little..." The cut the legs scale down a little.
    "Why
cut them down?" Nick asked.
    "More
legs mean less weight each has to support. So... We can do this,"
she said. The woman looked up and removed her hand to show the Hab
with five legs.
    "Nice.
Any conflict with the ramps?"
    She
looked the design over. "Maybe this one and this one if the legs
articulate to far over." She sketched in a zone.
    "Can
we compensate somehow?" Mario asked.
    “I
don't see how." She sat back looking frazzled. She ran a hand
through her unruly hair. "We fix one thing to mess something
else up!"
    Mario
smiled. "Not so fast. What about a floating hinge? Or a flexing
hinge? Something that allows a little articulation at the joint to
move the bottom of the ramp a little?" he asked.
    She
nodded. "Could work. Do the habs have to have wheels?" she
asked.
    Mario
nodded. "Yes, we need to be able to move them together so we can
link them up."
    She
nodded. "Why not add some motors and walk them?" another
engineer behind her asked.
    Mario
shook his head firmly. "Not going to happen. Too much to add to
do that. Wheels are simple. Stick with simple. Works for me every
time." Mario didn't even look up. He was becoming infamous for
taking the straight simple path in engineering discussions. "Besides
once we hook the habs up, we can prop them up on blocks and pull the
wheels for other things." Mario added. The engineers started to
babble.
    Casey
smiled. "I didn't think of that. Recycling... huh..."
    Mario
chuckled as he looked up. "Folks hold it down." The room
quieted. "You are all thinking in terms of one shot or one use
application, I want you to step back from that. Look at the bigger
picture. We want to use this hardware a lot,