The Expanse

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Burns

Golden Baronet of the Realm
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Maybe this knowledge is not as common place as I thought since I need to explain it. The ISS makes an entire orbit in 90 mins. So even if you didn’t have any relay and the planet was massive you would never have an orbit so large you would be out of communication for that long. Instead we have a show writer who determined that around 12 hrs would be half the length of the day in earth like planet, and therefor it must take the ship a half day to return to communication . It’s silly levels of dumb.

I don’t really mind other than it amazes me that not a single person involved with the show knows enough to just simply correct it when producing the show. I am now officially over it , however.

I guess my last post was too long, (or Blazin has me on ignore) so here is a shorter version:

The ISS is in low earth orbit, there are many other orbits, including 24 hour orbits, multiple days per orbit, weird 18 hour orbits, 34.6 hour orbits, etc. The Moon is in high earth orbit, it takes 27 days for the moon to make one orbit, so if you didn't have a relay, and the people you want to talk to are on the moon, you would be in coms blackout for close to half a day.

The ISS is close enough to earth that they see less of the planet than a satellite in medium earth orbit. If you wanted to survey from space, it would be better to be farther away, to be able to see more of the planet at the same time.

There is nothing saying they need to be in low earth orbit at the time that call was made, on the show.
 
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Cybsled

Avatar of War Slayer
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Instead we have a show writer who determined that around 12 hrs would be half the length of the day in earth like planet, and therefor it must take the ship a half day to return to communication . It’s silly levels of dumb.

You're overthinking this. The guy on the ship was probably BSing because the guy was being a piece of shit. The scene comes across more as a "Uh sorry, what's that, you're breaking up Bzzzt Bzzzttttt" way of getting off the line.
 
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Burns

Golden Baronet of the Realm
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Except they showed the ship multiple times in very low orbit

The only times I remember them showing the earth ship in orbit was at the end, after the evac order was given. I would need to watch it again with this in mind, to see otherwise. Since they have a Astrophysicist consultant, and because they know they have a bunch of math and science people watching the show, I give them the benefit of the doubt, in that it was a purposeful written line.

Something along the lines of:
The ships enters low orbit to unload the ground team and supplies (that gets blown up) because it would take less time and shuttle fuel. Once the ship is unloaded, they move to medium or high orbit to do survey scans. When the evac order is given, they move back to low earth orbit to pick up the shuttle. Then, once the planet defense system inhibits their main reactors, they are stuck in low orbit for the rest of the show.


You're overthinking this. The guy on the ship was probably BSing because the guy was being a piece of shit. The scene comes across more as a "Uh sorry, what's that, you're breaking up Bzzzt Bzzzttttt" way of getting off the line.

Maybe, but then, we could argue about why wouldn't he just call back directly to one of his goons on the ship, and tell him to beat the scientist until his moral improves.
 

ShakyJake

<Donor>
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By the way, when fusion suddenly stopped working -- did anyone else theorize that this was only possible because they were actually still inside the ring? Reason being is the only other time physics magically changed was from inside the ring, not in external space.
 
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kaid

Blackwing Lair Raider
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Except they showed the ship multiple times in very low orbit

True but we have no idea how big the planet is or what the actual orbital distance is. Orbital speeds com black out periods all vary due to local conditions such as how far out they are how big the atmosphere is how big the planet the com equipment of the ground stationl
 

kaid

Blackwing Lair Raider
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By the way, when fusion suddenly stopped working -- did anyone else theorize that this was only possible because they were actually still inside the ring? Reason being is the only other time physics magically changed was from inside the ring, not in external space.
Yes they stated they thought if they could get past the ring of moons they probably would be able to work their reactors again. Which makes sense as it looked like a defense mechanism activated so once you are beyond threat range it should stop.
 

kaid

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Except they showed the ship multiple times in very low orbit
They show the belter ship in very low orbit it was basically touching the atmosphere because it was the least fuel distance for the shuttles to bring the ore to the ship. Both the roci and the other ship were in higher orbits and the ship the guy who mentioned the 12 hour window was one of the earthers in higher orbit.
 
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Hateyou

Not Great, Not Terrible
<Bronze Donator>
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Well with these types of shows you have to suspend disbelief here and there. Its a fiction story which cannot make everything 100% true to physics and maths and shit.

He actually did that on purpose and in the books he never goes into details about speeds, physics, or how anything works very deeply at all. In an interview they were discussing how some sci fi stories go deep into that stuff and he said he wasn’t interested, he wanted to focus on the story and characters. They asked him “How does an Epstein drive work” and he answered “Very efficiently.”
 

ShakyJake

<Donor>
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Yes they stated they thought if they could get past the ring of moons they probably would be able to work their reactors again
Right, I got that. But I initially thought, oh shit they are in sort of virtual universe these aren't "real" systems. I suppose that would've been lame, though.
 

Malakriss

Golden Baronet of the Realm
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If a single station can influence the inside-the-rings space, then a whole planet with a ring of moons can certainly influence everything in its gravitational region. The scale of that definitely makes sense.

Although letting one of the reactor stations blow up before the molecule goes "hey, let's turn that off" maybe not the brightest thing in the first place.
 

Tarrant

<Prior Amod>
15,516
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So I just watched all 4 seasons of this the last two weeks and holy shit man...the best sci fi show I've ever seen. I watched the Mandalorian right after and I think coming off The Expanse hurt how I felt about that.
 
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khorum

Murder Apologist
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By the way, when fusion suddenly stopped working -- did anyone else theorize that this was only possible because they were actually still inside the ring? Reason being is the only other time physics magically changed was from inside the ring, not in external space.
Nah once they exit ring space they can see stars and constellations and could detect evidence that they were definitely in real space. I think it was mentioned that they were still in the Milky Way at some point in the novel.

The reactors stopping was definitely an effect produced by something from the planet.
 

Tarrant

<Prior Amod>
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Nah once they exit ring space they can see stars and constellations and could detect evidence that they were definitely in real space. I think it was mentioned that they were still in the Milky Way at some point in the novel.

The reactors stopping was definitely an effect produced by something from the planet.

I know in the Wiki it says they are still in the Milky Way
 

Merrith

Golden Baronet of the Realm
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By the way, when fusion suddenly stopped working -- did anyone else theorize that this was only possible because they were actually still inside the ring? Reason being is the only other time physics magically changed was from inside the ring, not in external space.

Actually prior to the whole ring even being made, the protomolecule essentially changed the laws of physics when it took over Eros. Miller was on the surface and felt no acceleration effects whatsoever yet Eros as a whole was moving so fast that the Roci eventually couldn't keep up because to do so would require burning at a speed that would have killed the crew.
 
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kaid

Blackwing Lair Raider
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Right, I got that. But I initially thought, oh shit they are in sort of virtual universe these aren't "real" systems. I suppose that would've been lame, though.

The protomolecule has a number of times shown the ability to selectively turn physics off and on. No need to stick it in another virtual universe although they do seem somewhat capable of doing just that when you can just turn selective parts of physics off. Think of it as an automatic fire extinguisher.
 

Merrith

Golden Baronet of the Realm
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I almost want to ask if they ever even try to explain how the PM does turn physics off/on (still in Book 4), but don't really want spoilers.
 

a_skeleton_05

<Banned>
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Everyone is being cool about it, but just in case: Any book stuff that extends past season 4 stuff should be spoilered. There's always the book thread to talk about them more openly if it's needed.
 
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Armadon

<Bronze Donator>
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Maybe our understanding of physics is wrong? Maybe our version of physics to the ancient civilization is 2+2=4 because they are so far ahead.
 
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