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Development

     Derived from the Amphicat, this Morrow Project vehicle benefits from considerably more engineering expertise, and of course fusion power.

Description

     The ATV has a plastic body mounted on a simple rectangular steel frame. Two seats are provided, for the driver and one passenger; both seats have seat belts -- although the Project recommends against the use of seat belts during amphibious travel.

     A cargo space behind the seats can hold, very uncomfortably, a third person. A hatch in the cargo space gives access to the fusion generator and electric motor.

     The suspension is of the solid axle type, with no springs or shock absorbers of any kind. The axles have automatic silent positive locking differentials; steering is accomplished by applying the brakes to all three wheels on one side. The ATV is fully amphibious, propelled in the water by its wheels.

     Maximum gross vehicle weight: 436 kg; cargo and crew capacity: 218 kg.
      Dimensions: 2.05 m long, 1.35 m wide, 0.86 m high, ground clearance 0.15 m.
      Propulsion: 12 kW electric motor, powered by Mk 1 fusion reactor. The motor provides power to a simple transmission (forward, reverse); all six wheels are driven; steering is by wheel brakes.
      Performance: top speed on flat ground, 19 kph; in water, 2.4 kph. Fitted with a low-power outboard motor (not provided by the Project), it can reach 4.2 kph. It will climb a 35 degree grade when fully loaded; when lightly loaded, driver skill determines the maximum grade that can be traversed. The ATV can easily be flipped on steep hills. When fully loaded, the vehicle floats with a freeboard of 0.4 m.
      Suspension: there is no suspension as such; the low-pressure tires absorb shocks; the seats have foam cushions also. The tires are 11.5x20 tubeless, bonded to the wheel
      Accessories: two headlights; the reactor can output electrical power at various standard voltages, frequencies, etc.
      The Six-Wheeled ATV is a light survey and exploration vehicle, normally provided to large Science teams. A simple rectangular frame supports the power supply, engine, and ABS plastic body. It has two seats, and a small cargo deck which could hold another person -- very awkwardly. Steering is accomplished by braking all the wheels on one side -- very inefficient, but it does allow the ATV to skid-steer in a zero-radius circle. There isn't a steering wheel, but instead two brake levers.

still being written up, this page is incomplete

Specifications

Crew:  2

Weight:  empty, 218 kg; loaded, not more than 436 kg; payload is thus 218 kg

Length:  2.05 m

Width:  1.35 m

Height:  0.86 m

Ground clearance:  0.15 m (under hull)

Turning radius:  zero

Ground pressure:  0.07 kg/square centimeter

Max speed: 

(road) 19 km/h

(water) 2.4 km/h

Fording:  amphibious

Gradient:  70%

Engine:  12 kilowatt electric motor, powered by Mk 1 fusion generator at 240 volts DC

Transmission:  manual with 1 forward and 1 reverse gears

Electrical system:  24 V

Batteries:  two 100 Ah

     The Mk 1 fusion pack has a maximum rating of 500 kilowatts output power; only about 12 kilowatts of that is used for propulsion. Output power is available at 24 V DC (for vehicle accessory systems), 12 V DC, 120 V AC and 240 V AC (for the motor and external accessories); outlets are available under the engine hatch. The electric motor has a special 240 volt, 50 amp connection to the reactor. When fully-fueled, the reactor can run at full power (more than the vehicle needs to operate) for about 8 years. The reactor itself is a cylinder, 0.3 m diameter by 1 m long, and weighs 250 kg, including fuel. The Morrow Industries data plate describes it as "Electrical Generator, 500 kW". 

     The solid-state radiator consists of about two hundred vanes, about 10 cm by 10 cm, and a heavy fan to blow air over them. When the vehicle is driving along at top speed, heat output from the radiator is about 400 kilowatts. The air intake is a low armored hood on the engine deck; hot air is exhausted through the armored vent behind the engine compartment. The radiator cools the reactor and the electric motor; a damaged radiator can quickly bring the vehicle to a stop. If the radiator is completely destroyed or disconnected, the reactor can only produce about 5 kilowatts of electrical power while remaining at safe operating temperatures. The radiator is made by Morrow Industries; an Electrical Repair or Electronics skill roll will identify the solid-state vanes as being futuristic technology.

     A pair of heavy, sealed 240 V batteries store a total of 3 kilowatt-hours of electrical power, or enough electricity to run the motor at full power for a minute -- or the crew compartment heater and minor accessories all night. The reactor has a built-in battery for starting from shut-down; this power can't be drained down by vehicle systems or accessories. The batteries have Morrow Industries data plates; their name is given on the plates as "Vehicle Battery, 240 Volt". An Electrical Repair or Electronics skill roll will identify the batteries as being futuristic technology.

     The 200 kilowatt electric motor weighs about 100 kg, and is mounted just ahead of the reactor. Its output shaft faces forwards, and is connected to a simple transmission, which also functions as a shock absorber between the engine and the drivetrain. The original parking brakes, slightly modified, are still in place (just after the transmission). The electric motors are expensive but contemporary, coming from various American manufacturers.

     The Morrow Project uses these fusion-powered variants of the V-150:

• armored personnel carrier (cupola mount)

• armored personnel carrier (MG turret) 

• 20mm cannon vehicle

• armored recovery vehicle -- not on Recon or MARS teams
  

• command vehicle -- not on Recon teams
  

• 90mm cannon vehicle -- MARS teams only
  

• 81mm mortar carrier -- MARS teams only

• TOW launcher vehicle -- MARS teams only

Maintenance and Installed Equipment

     Since the internal combustion engine has been entirely replaced, keeping the vehicle operating is much easier -- but it still needs preparation and maintenance.

• Lubrication:  the differentials, axles, transfer case, springs, steering system, wheel bearings, need regular lubrication -- say, at least every six months. Less essential but still in need of lubricating are the tow pintle, door hinges, control clevises and pins, cables, seat moving parts, winch barrel and cable, turret rings, elevation and traverse gearboxes, etc. The largest amount of lubricant is in the two differentials, which each contain about 10 liters of gear oil. Chassis grease, gear oil and lubricating oil are needed. After fording or amphibious operations, lubricate all exposed chassis points, the winch cable, and inspect axles for water.
  

• Tires:  the four 14.50 x 20 tubeless "Commando Special" tires are self-cleaning, off-road runflats, with a steel inner rim. At zero inflation pressure they can still be used for up to 80 kilometers of travel. Each wheel has ten lug nuts; note that lug nuts for the left and right sides of the vehicle have different handedness. Tires should be rotated from time to time, however this is not easy as they must be fitted properly to the left or right sides to allow efficient amphibious speed; while tires may be dismounted from the wheel and reversed, this may not be possible in the field. Regular military tires of the same size can be used, but they reduce (perhaps entirely) the amphibious speed of the vehicle, and are almost never runflats.