cthia wrote:Question:
I assume the missiles are fired directly from the pods? If so, how are the pods kept stationary while firing? Or are they ejected first? If they are not ejected then there will be wedge fratricide. If they are ejected before firing, that is also a moment of vulnerability.
That was covered long ago with the pods from both Hancock era, and the first-gen MDM pods pre-Buttercup that came with the research for LAC Shrike launchers.
Highly advanced and modernized launchers that are just as good as those found aboard ships. So missiles from pods are thrown out at extremely rapid velocity and presumably just enough angling, even with the older pods that hold a full 10 Mk23's that within seconds of launch they can bring up their missile wedges without fratricide.
tlb wrote:So are mass-drivers reactionless?
With how much thrust is applied to a missile coming out of the mass driver launcher, they'd have to be.
That or once the missiles are fired, the pod is considered irrelevant? To be recovered if possible, Honor's suggestion from commanding Wayfarer to put homing beacons onto them, especially since they're designed for low detectability. Henke at Solon rolled a few hundred of all remaining pods of her BC(P) pods and leaving them in one giant cluster managed to get within proximity/mine range of a Republican task force.
During combat, you don't really need to care if a pod is now flying backwards at high speed, you'll either recover it after the battle is won, or transmit an order and the on-board fusion plant deliberately fails containment to self-destruct.