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A travelling space fleet found an old militarized asteroid, with weaponry, space suits, munitions, and food which had been sitting there for 5 years. Is it still usable and safe?

Guns- coilguns, powered by a nuclear generator on the interior of the asteroid. Exposed to the vacuum of space.

  • Did they rust or anything?
  • They should work if I get the generator back up, right?

Space suits- single unit personal suits that can withstand the vacuum of space. Comparable to the suits that have been used in previous missions(Apollo and stuff). In a pressurized area, but in 0G

  • Do they still work?
  • Are they safe?

Munitions- small missiles with an explosive warhead launched from coilguns. Most in pressurized area, some in a vacuum.

  • Probably need a recharge for the targeting system, right?
  • Would the ones in vacuum still work?
  • Will the warhead still work?

Food- Mountain Houses or Ramen. In a pressurized area.

  • Is it still good?

Generator- large nuclear generator. In a pressurized area.

  • Will it still work?
  • Is it safe?(assume it was emptied when the inhabitants left)
  • How long to start it up?
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    $\begingroup$ Please remember that SE's model is one-specific-question/one-best-answer. There are 13 questions marks in your post. Yes, a lot of it is very similar - but some of it is also not similar. (how long to start it up, will the warheads still works, etc., all vary or could vary dramatically one from another and should have been asked separately). Just a head's up, please remember to stick to the site rules. Thanks. $\endgroup$
    – JBH
    Aug 9, 2020 at 20:54
  • $\begingroup$ Why would they not still be as fresh as daisies? In about 1973 my grandmother opened a box sold in 1942. Could you ask again about a mere "five years", even without whatever hugely advanced future technology would make the travel possible in the first place? $\endgroup$ Aug 9, 2020 at 22:07
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    $\begingroup$ "Food- Mountain Houses or Ramen" For those who are not from the U.S. (or are not camping enthusiasts), Mountain House is a consumer brand of freeze-dried food from Oregon. $\endgroup$
    – NobodyNada
    Aug 10, 2020 at 5:50
  • $\begingroup$ This real-life story might give you some inspiration: arstechnica.com/science/2014/09/… $\endgroup$
    – Dan W
    Aug 10, 2020 at 16:55
  • $\begingroup$ Note: "Mountain House" type camping rations mostly are freeze dried—processed in vacuum—and they are often sealed in evacuated pouches. $\endgroup$ Aug 10, 2020 at 17:54

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Parts exposed to vacuum: mechanical parts will have to be recertified and examined for possible vacuum welding. Parts exposed to external vacuum are probably slightly corroded and will require scrubbing and re-passivation.

Plastics and rubbers will as a rule need to be replaced due to storage embrittling (the evaporation of plasticizers from the plastics). Chemical batteries will require replacement. Fuel cell and osmotic membranes (CO2 scrubbers etc.) will also need replacement.

Missiles should work, the targeting system will require recharging but not replacement since it almost certainly uses solid-state supercapacitors.

The nuclear generator is probably good and only needs replacement for parts having undergone secondary activation. Still requires recertification but should be relatively easy to do.

The foodstuff might be a bit stale, but is probably still eatable.

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    $\begingroup$ Why would parts be corroded if there is no oxygen for corrosion? $\endgroup$
    – Mołot
    Aug 10, 2020 at 8:46
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    $\begingroup$ Yes, in a vacuum plastics, rubber and some metals experience out-gassing, where substances that happily live as part of the whole in pressure, are released into a vacuum, it doesn't happen immediately, but will happen over time. Remember Teslas Space Man? After a couple of hours in vacuum people pointed to a "mist" on the windscreen as proof that it was fake, however the mist was make up particles out-gassing from the materials in the dash board. $\endgroup$ Aug 10, 2020 at 8:58
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    $\begingroup$ Note that while the food likely to be edible, the space fleet can't live on it alone; they need a little bit of fresh food now and then so they don't get scurvy. $\endgroup$
    – Robyn
    Aug 10, 2020 at 9:52
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    $\begingroup$ Or Vitamin C pills in the stockpile $\endgroup$ Aug 10, 2020 at 12:35
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    $\begingroup$ ... Per the question, it seems there is a pressurised storage area. Most decomposition of plastics happens with exposure to UV, and we can probably assume this storage area (inside the asteroid) is dark. So all plastics and electronics can easily be assumed to have a lifespan of more than 5 years. With modern synthetic materials, things might start to break down after 20 years, but 5 years should be a breeze. $\endgroup$
    – Graham
    Aug 10, 2020 at 12:47
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It depends on radiation.

Superfast charged particles aka cosmic rays are bad for biological organisms. Cosmic rays can also mess with electronics and the effects are cumulative. Cosmic rays come from various energetic space phenomena but inside a solar system the main source is the solar wind.

Maybe your militarized meteor has all the good stuff deep down inside, using the bulk of the meteor as shielding. Or maybe it had active magnetic shielding at one time, which has since stopped working. The cumulative effect of particle radiation on your electronics might have irreparably damaged them. It does not take much to get fussy electronics to not work. I might want to put some distance between me and the nuclear coilgun thing the first time you try it.

Cumulative radiation could also embrittle plastic parts of vacuum suits.

Food and water would be best off if it were sterile to start with. Radiation and vacuum is not going to do that stuff any harm. Ordinary firearms would be ok too if you really have to fight; probably those would do better in desiccated vacuum than they would on earth. Also if the previous inhabitants had a stack of interesting magazines those will be ok although styles might look dated.

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It depends.

It depends on the temperature and position. If the objects are left in sunlight and warm up the result may well be different to objects kept in shade and cool down.

It depends how close the asteroid is to the sun and how quickly it spins. If the items experience a regular heating and cooling cycle it will be more detrimental than if they are kept at a constant (low) temperature inside the asteroid or in perpetually shade.

It depends on the design of the items, items like spacesuits are designed to be exposed to a vacuum and depending on design might well survive quite well. Sterile food should store quite well but again depending on the design of the packaging. Hot/cold cycles might cause containers to rupture.

It depends on the level of micrometeorites in the area. If the items are exposed on the surface this might be significant for some items especially if large areas are exposed there is an increased likelihood of some minor damage.

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yes. Had an MRE dating from the gulf war era, and it was still good, but everything should be good to go.

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    $\begingroup$ You had an MRE from the gulf war era that had been stored on the ISS? If not, the relevance is questionable and can't be generalised to all of the items listed. $\endgroup$ Aug 9, 2020 at 23:05
  • $\begingroup$ @KerrAvon2055 food if packaged properly will keep for a long time.the MRE was just one example i used. never been to the ISS. my field of work isn't one of being an astronaut. It's being a mercenary. $\endgroup$ Aug 10, 2020 at 6:11
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A travelling space fleet found an old militarized asteroid, with weaponry, space suits, munitions, and food which had been sitting there for 5 years. Is it still usable and safe?

In general: Yes

En Detail: It depends on a lot of variables


Basically there are four major influences that take place:

  • Temperature
    • Absolute
    • Temperature difference
    • Change over time
  • Radiation
    • Soft (Light)
    • Hard (all forms)
  • Atmosphere (or lack thereof)
    • Pressure
    • Composition
  • Impacts of other bodies

Temperature

Like on earth storing stuff to hot or too cold might destroy it. This might be due chemical effects (breaking up of molecules), physical effects (breaking of crystal structure) or 'simple' mechanical effect due different rate of expansion/contraction of combined materials - like a recoil operation jamming when hot.

Equally damaging is temperature difference. With a gradient high enough even 'simple' materials - like a steel plate - will degenerate over time and ultimately break.

Cyclic change of temperature is most devastating on the long run, as it combines all effects over and over again. So even small ones will add up.

As a result, no matter how advanced a technology is, it might be advisable to keepas much technology at controlled non changing temperature.

Radiation

Already soft radiation, like intense light will change composition of complex molecules - just think of a a newspaper in bright sunlight. Depending on distance from a star light may have a great influence on durability of the asteroid at whole and the station in particular.

Then there is hard radiation, no matter if Alpha, Beta or Gama. All will add corrosion to uncovered surfaces as well as breaking their structures, making them ultimate crumble.

As a result, no matter how advanced a technology is, it might be advisable to not expose their devices as little as possible, use cover wherever possible - much like gun ports on sailing ships.

Atmosphere (or lack thereof)

To start with, there is no real air tight system Any station not maintained (manual or automatic) will loose pressure. It might only be small, a few liter a day, but with ageing structural integrity it'll gets more and more. Most important for your setting might be that the station will for sure have a lower pressure than expected - beside the effect that it might have had a lower to start with, as saving on pressure is saving on energy and supplies.

Equally the composition of the atmosphere plays a role. If the station is mothballed, a standard breathing one (with Oxygen) might have been replaced by a nitrogen only to reduce oxidation effects. This in fact may be as well in non mothballed stat be used for some less frequented sections.

Last but not least, pressure also adds to disintegration. So a mothballed station might again have a way lower pressure.

Then there is vacuum. While it can be assumed that any technology able to maintain a travelling space fleet and asteroid station has sufficient means of lubrication and sealing for every day operation, this might not always be the same for long term situations.

As a result, no matter how advanced a technology is, it might be advisable to keep as much as possible stored 'inside' at controlled pressure and atmosphere.

Impacts of other bodies

Space is empty ... but at the same time filled with tiny bullets chasing you installations every tiny meteoroid will leave a scratch mark on exposed surfaces. They are the low sped high mass equivalents of radiation. One may be not of great influence, over time they sum up.

As a result, no matter how advanced a technology is, it might, once again, be advisable to store whatever needs to stay intact inside and covered.


Taking all of the above into account - and considering that we're talking about a civilisation capable to maintain a travelling fleet in space - it is safe to assume that the station will be mostly usable if build proper and left in a mothballed state.

Though, it still, I wouldn't assume that it's done with simply switching on power. After all, that usually won't work with a car left in a carport (but on earth) for five years. Even less for a space station. Depending on size it will take days to level temperature (and pressure) up. Just think of it, heat isn't distributed magically around the station but in pipes. They get leaky, clogged up or simply malfunction in some valve. Be prepared to have at least one guy called Mario.

Until that is working, you crew will have to wear space suits - maybe not heavy suits that let one survive in outer space, but at least light 'indoor' versions like the new Boing ones, able to keep pressure and regulate temperature.

And then there is the nuclear plant. They are like the wet dream of plumbers and function in no way like with the animation shown to general public (no matter if fission or fusion). It isn't connecting a backup battery and pulling some rods. They as well degenerate over time. Control rods in a fission reactor are consumables (and Tschenobyl happened in part due stuck rods).

And so on...


Bottom line:

Either make your civilisation so perfect and high above, that the station is fully functional and still operating (in mothballed mode) or be prepared to invest quite some time to get it up again.

Food on the other hand shouldn't be a big deal, if preserved proper, like canned in a container good for the (inside) environment, it will bear all the same "advantages" of durable food known form Earth :)

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A travelling space fleet found an old militarized asteroid, with weaponry, space suits, munitions, and food which had been sitting there for 5 years. Is it still usable and safe?

Depends on whether its stored properly.

Most modern militaries have processes for long term storage - storing ammunition in airtight cans, coating guns in cosmoline, a waxy grease and so on.

I'd argue that any military with any sense would design its long term storage around the environment. You might need to replace expendable items - batteries and such which wouldn't be there.

Guns- coilguns, powered by a nuclear generator on the interior of the asteroid. Exposed to the vacuum of space.

A lot of real life military gear does survive adverse conditions, but a space gun would likely be designed to be stowed unless needed. Why do a space walk when you can retract said guns, keep them at normal atmospheric and maintain them in a shirt sleeve environment?

Space suits- single unit personal suits that can withstand the vacuum of space. Comparable to the suits that have been used in previous missions(Apollo and stuff). In a pressurized area, but in 0G

Unlike 70s space missions, or even modern ones, an asteroid base is probably designed for longer term, self contained activity. You will want to test these, but you'd probably have the tools to. They'd likely be designed for long term use (till the next resupply) and chances are they'd have a workshop for fixing these.

Munitions- small missiles with an explosive warhead launched from coilguns. Most in pressurized area, some in a vacuum.

Probably stored in containers designed for vacuum, possibly with an inert internal atmosphere. Once again, if you know you're in space for the long term, you're going to design things around the environment, with robust storage that handles airlessness and the wild potential temperature changes of space. If militaries do anything well, its cheap, robust storage.

Food- Mountain Houses or Ramen. In a pressurized area.

No one eats that in the military. Most military food these days is stored in retort pouches, and isn't dehydrated, just processed for long life. Food in space specifically could be dehydrated or irradiated for long shelf life, and once again, be specifically designed for the requirements.

You might even have fresh, plant food, or the remnants of the facilities to grow it as a way of waste/atmosphere reprocessing, though these might not be happy sitting untended for half a decade. You would need lights and pumps, but would be a logical way to dispose of/use the waste products of human habitation.

These might not be usable, but might provide an appropriate level of challenge or drama if desired.

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