The Star Wars Challenge

I've always wondered about the practicality of the various walkers. The just seem far to unstable as a mechanical device. Particularly on such a large scale.

Of course testing them full scale is out, and testing them small scale really wouldn't prove much (hell, my son has a motorized Lego AT-AT that walks).

Interestingly, we now HAVE "walkers" albeit much smaller in scale, and with faster motor reactions.

the biggest problem with star wars myths is that many of them rely on technical stuff that doesn't exist in our galaxy.

I think the rope swing is a reasonable thing to test.even assuming a perfect catch, that leaves the question of whether they can swing across and land on the other side in a reasonable fashion.

how about the myth of whether Han and Luke could extract a couple of presumably dead or unconscious stormtroopers from their armor, and get it on in time for the late check-in?

I already know the answer through reading about it, but they could investigate the logistics of building a residence in ice. (trip to iceland for Kari?)

Hence my line in the OP about people screaming 'fantasy' or 'Force'.

The AT-AT walkers are unusual aspects of SW, in that while the technology they use in the SW universe is far more advanced than anything we have. They don't use purely fictional technologies in their design - the power plant and weapons aside, and even there the systems are based on known physics to some degree*.

To be more specific the Walkers don't use 'repulser' technology (anti-gravity). So if we can estimate the weight of a walker** we should be able to calculate the ground pressure and from there make an educated guess as to if they could really be called 'All Terrain Armoured Transports'. If we have a ground pressure we could move on to creating a scale walker - or use one of the walking toys - who's weight can be altered to give the same ground pressure as the full sized walker. Then the model could be walked over long trays that duplicate various terrain types - such as snow, mud or rocky ground.

This idea isn't restricted to SW, as the same question about mobility and ground pressure was raised in relation to walking vehicles on Discovery. It may be ironic that the four legged AT-AT seems a far more viable design than those seen in other types of mecha-media. It also seems to be that if you were testing such a thing the AT AT would be the best design to look at. Not only does its four legged design allow you to create a walking vehicle without having to spend billions of $ on a gyroscopic system to keep it upright. But the AT-AT's body is hollow, giving you somewhere to put weight so you get the ground pressure you need.

(*Note; This seems to have been accidental since the designs of SW are based on 'what looks cool' not 'what would work' or 'a more advanced version of stuff we already have')

(**There are two heights given for the AT-AT in various works. These being either 15 or 22.5 feet tall, we could use either or both of these figures...or just let someone calculate the height using footage from Empire Strikes Back. We could reasonably claim that there are two different versions of the AT-AT, one being taller than the other, without stretching SW 'reality' - There are two versions of the Star Destroyer not including the Superstar Destroyer.
Estimating weight is more difficult, since we have no idea what the internal structure is made from - and even if we did we have no way of knowing how much it weighs for a given volume. The best way might be to calculate mass as if it was made of titanium, and assume that the engine and armour masses the same as a tank of comparable size.)

But, but, but...Force!!! Fantasy!!!

Just kidding! ;D

I like the rope swing. I'm trying to remember--How off center were they from the point the grappling hook hit?

The only footage I could find online was this (turn down your speakers if you don't like Benny Hill):



I always assumed that the helmets contained some sort of heads up display to aid in combat, and that the eye slits were more last resorts than useful. If I recall, Vader's helmet had augmented screens inside as well, even if you could see the actor's eyes in certain scenes in the original video transfers.

Another SW scene that could be tried was the Sarlaac sequence in ROTJ:



Luke's acrobatics are pretty amazing--especially that backflip off the diving board. Could someone build enough momentum to get that high without the Force?

Also, note the rope swing at the end. Just where was the other end of the rope tied?

No, I'm not nitpicking--I think a SW episode of MB could be REAL fun. Given the history the crew has with ILM, I wouldn't be surprised if they could get some inside help. They are local, after all.

This is one example of a 'force' myth that MB can't test - Luke was a Jedi at the time and using the force to aid his jump. One of the most basic things about Jedi is their ability to do things 'normal' people can't.

I called this the 'Star Wars Challenge' because it is very difficult to find myths from the franchise that MB could test. Most of them can be explained by the force or by the technology of the SW universe - neither of which makes them things that can be tested.

Testing the design of the AT-AT to see if it really would be capable of traversing most types of terrain is possible, because as I noted, that capability would rest on the designs ground pressure rather than fictional technology.
Likewise the design of the Stormtrooper armour could be tested - it should be noted that various books in the expanded universe do have characters who are wearing the armour noting that the helmet restricts vision. We also have technical guides for the armour that mention several features of the helmets display - but that this doesn't include an expanded view.

I am, the technique is a form of telekinesis that most Jedi (and Sith) pick up as a basic skill during their training. It is related to their ability to levitate objects, although as a rule Jedi can't levitate themselves (that is fly). I can think of only one Jedi who lacked a natural affinity for telekinesis in any form, Corran Horn, and even he could manage it when he absorbed energy. (Yes, I know FAR too much about this...)
This is the ability that also allows Jedi to survive falls that would kill a normal human, as they can slow their decent and presumably cushion their fall as they land.

The Ewok glider might be testable, since as I recall the design it was constructed from leather with a wooden frame and would seem to small and heavy to allow for gliding no matter how light an Ewok might be. Testing the traps the Ewoks were using might not be testable, since they were being used against fictional vehicles and armour.
I guess they could see how effective the shortbows the Ewoks were using would be*. But even if they managed to penetrate modern body armour with one that would tell us nothing about their effectiveness against Storm Trooper armour, which is not made out of existing materials. Then again, they could see if the bows would be effective as hunting weapons as the design is clearly seen on screen.

(*Educated guess is not very effective. As I recall at least one of the arrows fired from the bows hit the ground after flying some 8 feet, landing just under the camera.)

Primarily Stormtrooper armour was designed as a protection against incoming weapons fire though it did also provide protection against hazardous environments. However its protective properties against blaster bolts, bullets etc. was the primary design feature, making it dissimilar to a hazmat suit.

You'd be correct light.

Going off descriptions in SW cannon Stormtrooper armour would be roughly comparable to modern type IIIa body armour in the amount of protection it provides against blasters. (Meaning it is intended to stop pistol shots but won't stop direct hits from 'rifles' or heavy pistols).
Unlike modern armour however ST armour does provide considerable protection against unpowered melee weapons, and I would assume 'slug throwers' (Conventional firearms) as the armour has a hard surface.

The problem for us is that a blaster does not do damage in the same way modern firearms do. As I understand it Stormtrooper armour ablates when hit by blasters. Blasters are basically plasma weapons, not lasers - the bolt of light is a side effect - so they inflict damage through heat rather than kinetic energy. This is something modern armours are simply not designed to deal with, and they would melt and provide zero protection against blasters (if they existed).

You *might* be able to produce a plasma weapon that duplicates the sort of power Han Solo's blaster or a Stormtroopers rifle produces. And from their create something comparable to the armour used by Stormtroopers - which is made of a fictional material called Plasisteel. But this would take years of development and millions if not billions of $.