How Do Starfuries Re-Enter the Station

Hopefully, this isn't a stupid question, but how do Starfuries re-enter the station?

I'm assuming going through the front like all the other ships is a possibility. However, ships usually enter through the front one at a time, and Starfuries are often out several--if not dozens--at a time. Plus, I simply don't think I've ever seen Starfuries enter that way.

In Soul Hunter, Sinclair grapples the SH's ship, and starts to move it toward the back of the station. I also remember someone mentioning in an episode later in the series something about entering through the "back door". I think that was in a season 5 episode in which there was some kind of accident that temporarily messed up the front entrance. Anyway, these clues make me wonder if Starfuries re-enter the station via Gray Sector somehow.

The only other theory I can think of is that Starfuries can re-enter through some opening in the back of Blue Sector or maybe even the same Cobra Bay openings that they launch from. It would require each Starfury to maneuver in such a way that they match the rotation of the station. However, the way Garibaldi grappled another Starfury and saved Sheridan from assassination in the Season 5 premiere shows that it is very possible for Starfuries to achieve this tricky maneuvering of matching the station's rotation while staying perpendicular to the station's radius.

I know this is a nitpicky question, but it's a point of curiosity that's been bugging me lately.

It would require each Starfury to maneuver in such a way that they match the rotation of the station.

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Well, since all shuttles that dock in Babylon 5 have to match rotation with the station in order to enter the docking bay, I would think it would be relatively easy for the Starfuries to do so too, especially if it was done so via the station's docking computer linking up with the individual ship's navigation computer.

I've always pretty much assumed that the Starfuries just reload one at a time entering through the main docking bay like all the docking shuttles do but the internal workings of the station's docking system took each Fury to the Cobra Bays instead of the regular docking bays.

I know there's at least one episode with a shot of two Furies sitting on one of the internal docking bay platforms being moved to a different part of the docking section of the station very much like regular shuttles did, but I can't remember which episode that it's in.

I'm in the process of watching "Survivors" again, and in it the entire Zeta Squadron, new on delivery from the President, dock at the station through the central docking bay and are loaded from there to their cobra bay. This occurs just past the 22nd minute of the episode.

Using the main docking bay would be logical.

Entering a spinning station from the outside inwards, against centrifugal force might be possible... but is not fuel-efficient... and generally too complicated to receive preference.

A computer could perform such a manouver... with precise and continuous application of upper/lower/back thrusters... but it would have to happen within a precise timeframe, lest a Starfury approach while the bay door passes the non-rotating part of the station.

JMS:

The fighters enter via the main docking bay, where they are shunted back into the Starfury launch bays. (BTW, for those who've asked, and let it never be said that we're unresponsive...we asked Ron to develop a CGI sequence that shows how ships get from the interior of the main docking bay down to the customs and loading bays. I've seen it, and it looks pretty spiffy. Look for it in "Grail."

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The thing is while getting all the Starfuries out at once is important getting them all in quickly is not. Presumably the danger would be over by than and you don't have to worry about getting on board before the station leaves.

I think a backdoor enterance is very unlikely. As you know, the Cobra Bays are near the front of the station, just behind the round bubble part (yes thats a technical term). If they enter through the rear, then they have a 4-5 mile journey to get back to the Cobra bays. I dont think so. If they enter through the front, they probably have special tubes that take them to the parts of the bubble (there is that term again) that connect directly to the Cobra Bays.

There you go.

Yeah, I've always figured that going through the main bay in the front is an obvious and likely way of getting fighters in. I just wasn't sure if it was the only way of getting them in. And, as I said, because of the number of fighters out at once, I wasn't sure if the main bay was the best way in either. I never discounted the main bay; I was just wondering if there were other possibilities.

I would suspect that the fighters can land in the main bay quite quickly. They are very small in proportion to the size of the bay opening and the elevators, so I suspect they can probably land three or more at a time. The real time issue in the main bay is moving the various elevators into position, from what I have seen of the operations there.

The Starfuries will have their own elivators to return them to the cobra bays.

I GOT IT! I GOT IT! CARGO TRANSPORTERS JUST LIKE IN STAR TREK!

You're a little excited today, aren't you?

Re: How Do Starfuries Re-Enter the Station?

We've actually seen two Thunderbolts (one piloted by Sheridan) and Bester's Black Omega Starfury enter through the Main Bay in "Ship of Tears". Once ships enter through the bay, we've seen four elevators that transport ships to their proper destination. Most go to the central docking ring, but one of the elevators may be reserved for the Cobra Bays. Or perhaps, all can be used for the Starfuries when they have a large group waiting to get back inside.

The other landing bay is the Zero-G bay (shown in oh-so-many establishing shots), located above the Main Bay between the station's forward cargo stabilization tines.
Near as I can tell, there is no egress to the main bay from there, so it can only be used for loading of storage containers.

Although there are probably hatches all over the ship where someone can get in with an EVA suit and the correct authorization code, I don't think there are any other ways to get an entire ship onboard and back to the docking ring except through the front door. The back end of the station consists of the fusion reactor and about a mile of envronmental systems all feeding the habitat area, so nobody's getting in any back door.

Re: How Do Starfuries Re-Enter the Station?

Hmmm, interesting collection of information and very good theories.

I myself have always assumed, considering the design of the Cobra Bay arms themselves, that the Fighters re-entered through the FRONT of the Cobra Bays as the design of that section has the apeearence of having a front access. But you probably are right about them entering through the Main Docking Access.

Re: How Do Starfuries Re-Enter the Station?

Hmmm, interesting collection of information and very good theories.

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Theories? No no no no... Respectfully, we've seen fighters re-enter through the 'front door' of b5 a LOT of times during the entire five-year arc, it happens at LEAST five times per season (several of which have already been remarked on by others). Although, I understand it's easy to forget these little scenes because they don't really add anything plot-wise.

While I'm on the subject, I'd like to quote Grumbler, who had the following to say (look to the last sentence for the punch-line!)

quote] JMS:

The fighters enter via the main docking bay, where they are shunted back into the Starfury launch bays. (BTW, for those who've asked, and let it never be said that we're unresponsive...we asked Ron to develop a CGI sequence that shows how ships get from the interior of the main docking bay down to the customs and loading bays. I've seen it, and it looks pretty spiffy. Look for it in "Grail."

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[/quote]

Oh my god! "Grail"!! JMS must've known it was a sup-par episode, because often when someone says something about it or when I watch it myself, I wind up finding some small little detail that makes it an interesting one after all.

(at the time when it was first broadcast, the CG-alien made me sit up straight instantly. Think about it, wasn't that the first CG-alien ever on television?)

Re: How Do Starfuries Re-Enter the Station?

What's worse, Shism, is that I don't think it's IN "Grail." I just skimmed through the whole ep and didn't see it. I agree that this is a pretty feeble episode. Even the main charactors seem a bit "off." Christy Marx didn't do another ep (AIR), and I can understand why.

Re: How Do Starfuries Re-Enter the Station?

What's worse, Shism, is that I don't think it's IN "Grail."

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Isn't it? Well that's one less reason to like 'Grail'! Ah well. I'd have to admit though, I don't like the episode very well TODAY, but back when it was first aired I wasn't THAT critical about it. Then again, back then Babylon 5 hadn't become my favourite sci-fi of all time and my expectancies of a new b5 episode were it to be of 'ST: Next Generation' quality.

PS: as said before, I still think the CG-alien rocks!!