The interface or topological surface produced by the B/G engine is called the Barnes Manifold. Mass inside the Barnes Manifold is accelerated by the engine without translating the resultant inertial force to the the field's interior. In other words, inside the Barnes Manifold the usual acceleration force is not present. As a matter of fact vehicles and spacecraft which use Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engines require an artificial gravity web to maintain a comfortable gravity field, else the occupants would be weightless. This means that a passenger in a vehicle using a B/G Engine will feel neither acceleration nor deceleration. This allows such vehicles to perform hairpin turns, rapid changes in acceleration, and high speed stops, without fear of injuring the occupants. This also means that a spacecraft utilizing a Barnes-Gutierrez Engine can provide thrust in any direction without the vessel changing orientation.
The strength and permeability of the Manifold Interface is a function of its size and differential interaction with outside space. So micro B/G Engines, such as are used by smart ammunition, have very weak Barnes Manifolds even though they accelerate at >200,000 Gs. A full size space vessel, accelerating at only dozens of Gs will have a substantial, and well defined Barnes Manifold. The Manifold Interface acts as a buffer between particles outside the field and those inside the field. That means that even without a force field, a craft with a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine provides it's own radiation shield and protection against particulate radiation and even micrometeorites. The higher the acceleration the better the protection. The lower the acceleration the less protection.
Most spacecraft using reaction engines accelerate for approximately one half of a trip through space and then turn over to use their engines to decelerate for the second half of the journey to arrive at their destination with approximately zero residual velocity. Because a Barnes-Gutierrez Engine can produce thrust in any direction it is not required for a spacecraft equipped with one to "flip" during a typical journey. Most spacecraft that use reaction drives will adjust pitch and yaw through the use of small reaction engines. A vessel equipped with a Barnes-Gutierrez Engine can control its facing by manipulating the slip along the Barnes Manifold Interface such that the vessel can easily be set to any heading.
Because facing is not terribly relevant for a large vessel using a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine many are spherical with a fore and aft section designated more for reasons of tradition than from need. Such vessels typically maintain a single heading during a voyage, changing the vector of their thrust rather than their heading.
Because it is a form of gravity drive a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine behaves differently in subspace. On the gravitational topology of subspace too much gravitational thrust will actually result in a contra-gravitational force causing a vessel to lose velocity rather than gain it. To allow a vessel to move through subspace a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine must be adjusted to match local gravitational conditions. The vessel will then move at a more or less constant velocity unless affected by local gravitational eddies.
With proper modification a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine can open a temporary conduit to subspace. This is called shunting. A Barnes-Gutierrez Engine cannot provide both acceleration and open a shunt at the same time. This is a limitation of the nature of space-time and not of the engine itself. No one foolish enough to attempt to operate two engines in the same vessel, in different modes at the same time has survived to explain the result.
Engines operating in acceleration mode can easily coexists, though two vessels operating at high accelerations, with well defined Barnes Manifolds will have problems trying to dock. The effects will not be catastrophic, the vessels will simply tend to push each other away. This makes it easy to launch battleriders or shuttles even at high acceleration, but difficult to recover them without moving at a constant velocity.
Most spacecraft using reaction engines accelerate for approximately one half of a trip through space and then turn over to use their engines to decelerate for the second half of the journey to arrive at their destination with approximately zero residual velocity. Because a Barnes-Gutierrez Engine can produce thrust in any direction it is not required for a spacecraft equipped with one to "flip" during a typical journey. Most spacecraft that use reaction drives will adjust pitch and yaw through the use of small reaction engines. A vessel equipped with a Barnes-Gutierrez Engine can control its facing by manipulating the slip along the Barnes Manifold Interface such that the vessel can easily be set to any heading.
Because facing is not terribly relevant for a large vessel using a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine many are spherical with a fore and aft section designated more for reasons of tradition than from need. Such vessels typically maintain a single heading during a voyage, changing the vector of their thrust rather than their heading.
Because it is a form of gravity drive a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine behaves differently in subspace. On the gravitational topology of subspace too much gravitational thrust will actually result in a contra-gravitational force causing a vessel to lose velocity rather than gain it. To allow a vessel to move through subspace a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine must be adjusted to match local gravitational conditions. The vessel will then move at a more or less constant velocity unless affected by local gravitational eddies.
With proper modification a Barnes-Gutierrez Hyperspace Engine can open a temporary conduit to subspace. This is called shunting. A Barnes-Gutierrez Engine cannot provide both acceleration and open a shunt at the same time. This is a limitation of the nature of space-time and not of the engine itself. No one foolish enough to attempt to operate two engines in the same vessel, in different modes at the same time has survived to explain the result.
Engines operating in acceleration mode can easily coexists, though two vessels operating at high accelerations, with well defined Barnes Manifolds will have problems trying to dock. The effects will not be catastrophic, the vessels will simply tend to push each other away. This makes it easy to launch battleriders or shuttles even at high acceleration, but difficult to recover them without moving at a constant velocity.
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