The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
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The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
That's a lot of overtime. It's a sure thing the machine not quite as big as a moon would be expensive, but someone took the time to work out approximately how expensive.
https://www.cnet.com/news/death-star-wo ... e-per-day/
Since the damn things don't seem to last long, one wonders whether the savings from not having to operate one compare to the massive loss. What kind of insurance could Palpatine have gotten on the thing?
https://www.cnet.com/news/death-star-wo ... e-per-day/
Since the damn things don't seem to last long, one wonders whether the savings from not having to operate one compare to the massive loss. What kind of insurance could Palpatine have gotten on the thing?
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
For a galactic economy... I just don't see that as all that much.
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
That's like the pay of four senators. The thing pays for itself.
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
Yeah, but they probably saved like $99.95 by missing the grating that covers the small thermal exhaust port that's right below the main port. And it's not like there's a problem created with little cost cutting measures like that!
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
It is a thermal exhaust port. Unless the energy release from said port is significantly less than a single shot from a blaster, then any grating would be doing very well indeed to last more than a fraction of a second.Graham Kennedy wrote:Yeah, but they probably saved like $99.95 by missing the grating that covers the small thermal exhaust port that's right below the main port. And it's not like there's a problem created with little cost cutting measures like that!
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
If the sides of the port can withstand the heat, then there's no reason you couldn't put a grating over it that would also withstand the heat.
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
And that exhaust port pushes gas out. Without the aid of magic space wizards, shot would've been pretty much impossible.
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
A grating would have a far higher surface area-volume ratio than the solid sides of the shaft and would have had far less volume available for cooling equipment. It would have been bombarded directly by high-energy particles - the difference between standing next to a bloke using a flamethrower and being the target of said flamethrower.Graham Kennedy wrote:If the sides of the port can withstand the heat, then there's no reason you couldn't put a grating over it that would also withstand the heat.
If that halfwit Tarkin had deployed even a fraction of his fighter contingent the shot would have been entirely impossible because no one would have survived to make the shot.RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:And that exhaust port pushes gas out. Without the aid of magic space wizards, shot would've been pretty much impossible.
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
That, too. Pride goeth before the fall, as they say.Captain Seafort wrote:If that halfwit Tarkin had deployed even a fraction of his fighter contingent the shot would have been entirely impossible because no one would have survived to make the shot.RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:And that exhaust port pushes gas out. Without the aid of magic space wizards, shot would've been pretty much impossible.
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:For a galactic economy... I just don't see that as all that much.
Ah, so it's all coming together. The Empire under-paid and generally treated it's troops like slaves and got shoddy performance in return. Stormtroopers probably don't hit anything because they just don't give a damn. If they'd been more Costco than Walmart the rebellion would have been crushed. 8)And that exhaust port pushes gas out. Without the aid of magic space wizards, shot would've been pretty much impossible.
If that halfwit Tarkin had deployed even a fraction of his fighter contingent the shot would have been entirely impossible because no one would have survived to make the shot.
That, too. Pride goeth before the fall, as they say.
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
Firing a flamethrower along a metal shaft for (presumably) 24 hours a day would make the shaft just as hot as any grating on the end. If the Empire was incapable of constructing a simple grating to protect the shaft then they have no business making such a shaft, and if you can't make a Death Star without one then they have no business making Death Stars.Captain Seafort wrote:A grating would have a far higher surface area-volume ratio than the solid sides of the shaft and would have had far less volume available for cooling equipment. It would have been bombarded directly by high-energy particles - the difference between standing next to a bloke using a flamethrower and being the target of said flamethrower.Graham Kennedy wrote:If the sides of the port can withstand the heat, then there's no reason you couldn't put a grating over it that would also withstand the heat.
Morons, the lot of them.
And with that I am off to see Rogue One, because if I sit in this house a minute longer I shall scream.
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Re: The Death Star would cost several Octillion to operate
No it wouldn't, for the other reasons I mentioned - the far greater volume/surface ratio and the lack of space for cooling gear.Graham Kennedy wrote:Firing a flamethrower along a metal shaft for (presumably) 24 hours a day would make the shaft just as hot as any grating on the end.
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