Fast relativistic ship research
Posted: November 4th, 2026, 2:08 pm
This thread is for fast relativistic ship research and discoveries. There has been a lot of work over the years spent on covering more relativistic speeds. Recently the efforthas be energized by new 9c/10 puffers and new designs for high period relativistic ships. Additionally we now have a not lightspeed speed max: As shown by very and Ampere the fastest non lightspeed orthogonal speed possible is 10c/11, with simmilar bounds extending to other slopes as well. This makes this problem a lot more tacklable, and there is a lot of work to be done.
Here are a few of the goals
• Find ships that cover some of the remaining unknown low periods
• Find adjustable orthogonal ship with speed limit 2c/3
• Find mechanisms that are adjustable/can be rephased that can cover more reduced speeds
• Find an adjustable ship that covers an infinite amount of different reduced speeds in the form (n,m)c/n+m
• Find adjustable ships that cover all speeds (n,n)c/2n (c/2d multiples)
• Find more period multiples of new and already known fast relativistic ships
Find ships that cover some of the remaining unknown low periods
There are currently 1 missing p14 speed, 2 missing p15 speeds, and 3 missing p16 speeds, (12,1)c/14, (13,1)c/15, (13,2)c/15, (14,1)c/16, (14,2)c/16, (13,3)c/16. Additionally there are only 4 missing orthogonal speeds under p20, 15c/17, 16c/18, 17c/19, 17c/20
Currently there are designs that work for orthogonal ships, and ships of speed (n,m)c/n+m which can probably be applied to some of missing low periods. Some of the ones that are farther below the speed limit may be coverable by tailored LLS searches.
Here is a 15c/17 wickstretcher in the same rule as a working 15c/17 backend, sadly they can't be connected
I was doing some lls searches for lower period orthogonal ships with speed nc/n+1 and found some 11c/13s which are very clean. This one works in a 2^27 rulespace
Searching for these speeds has proven pretty difficult but I am hopeful that if we can find the right edge delay reaction it should be workable for many speeds in a limit.
I have also done some (13,2)c/15 searches trying to force the p1 diagonal backend, but I haven't found anything too promising. Similarly to the orthogonal design, I hope that if we can find a design that is robust enough it should be workable for many speeds in a limit.
Ampere and I have done a few (12,1)c/14 searches, but nothing has shown up
Find adjustable orthogonal ship with speed limit 2c/3
Recently I found some mealworms that have a 2c/3 frontend https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic ... 39#p238939 those were able to cover a bunch of new speeds >c/2 but the specific+frontend backend setup seemed to have a speed limit of 3c/5
I was able to find some rules with ships that seem to have speed limit 2c/3 but I am unsure if any are adjustable
These are of speeds 68c/104,98c/150,52c/80,22c/34, and 14c/22
These are of speeds 82c/126, 22c/34, 14c/22(56c/88), 404c/636, 62c/98, 20c/32(60c/96), and 6c/10
These are simple enough that I am hoping there is an adjustable in one of these or a related rule
Find mechanisms that are adjustable/can be rephased that can cover more reduced speeds
There are some 3c/4, 4c/5, and (3,1)c/4 engines that have been used to cover a lot of speeds
19c/25 with a 3c/4 engine
18c/23 with a 4c/5 engine
(44,17)c/66 with a (3,1)c/4 engine
Recently I was able to find a 5c/6 engine from the 5s 21c/26 that was able to cover a new speed, but the engine is pretty restrictive. There might be a better 5c/6 engine in the DB or alternatively it may be possible to
19c/23 with a 5c/6 engine
From my searches mealworms seem unlikely to work with engines faster than 2c/3, so finding more fast engines like these will probably be our best way to cover those speeds
Find an adjustable ship that covers an infinite amount of different reduced speeds in the form (n,m)c/n+m
Currently there has not been a ton of work done on this but there is some ideas. One idea is having 2 c/2 diagonals with a photon boucing between them that shifts them. This may work although setting up the searches might prove annoying. Another idea is having a c/2d wavefront that can be pushed and pulled by a signal traveling along it.
Find adjustable ships that cover all speeds (n,n)c/2n (c/2d multiples)
,
The design that is used for orthogonals may work here too (emulating a rule 150 1dca) we just need to find the right structure
Find more period multiples of new and already known fast relativistic ships
The best way to do this would be to find some photon reflection/signal capping reactions with known ships which can be used to cover an infinite amount of period multiples. Covering more oblique speeds will be more challenging as none of the known designs work for them.
Here are a few of the goals
• Find ships that cover some of the remaining unknown low periods
• Find adjustable orthogonal ship with speed limit 2c/3
• Find mechanisms that are adjustable/can be rephased that can cover more reduced speeds
• Find an adjustable ship that covers an infinite amount of different reduced speeds in the form (n,m)c/n+m
• Find adjustable ships that cover all speeds (n,n)c/2n (c/2d multiples)
• Find more period multiples of new and already known fast relativistic ships
Find ships that cover some of the remaining unknown low periods
There are currently 1 missing p14 speed, 2 missing p15 speeds, and 3 missing p16 speeds, (12,1)c/14, (13,1)c/15, (13,2)c/15, (14,1)c/16, (14,2)c/16, (13,3)c/16. Additionally there are only 4 missing orthogonal speeds under p20, 15c/17, 16c/18, 17c/19, 17c/20
Currently there are designs that work for orthogonal ships, and ships of speed (n,m)c/n+m which can probably be applied to some of missing low periods. Some of the ones that are farther below the speed limit may be coverable by tailored LLS searches.
Here is a 15c/17 wickstretcher in the same rule as a working 15c/17 backend, sadly they can't be connected
Code: Select all
x = 47, y = 52, rule = B2-e3-iknq4eijkqtz5acjny6ace78/S1e2aei3jkr4ajnqwyz5-enr6-en78
13b2obo5bob2o$11b3ob2ob3ob2ob3o$10b2ob5obob5ob2o$10b2ob13ob2o$9b21o$
10b19o$10b19o$10b19o$9bo19bo21$b45o$ob43obo$bob41obo$2bob39obo$3bob37o
bo$4bob35obo$5bob33obo$7bob29obo$8bob27obo$9bob25obo$10bob23obo$11bob
21obo$12bob19obo$13bob17obo$14bob15obo$15bob13obo$16bob11obo$18bob7obo
$19bob5obo$20bob3obo$21bobobo$22bobo$23bo!
Code: Select all
x = 15, y = 9, rule = B2aci3ej4aik5-aikq6ak7/S12i3jnqy4ikqrt5-acy6-i78
3bo2b3o2bo$obob2obob2obobo$b2ob2obob2ob2o$2b2o2b3o2b2o$3b9o$4b7o$5b5o$
6b3o$7bo!I have also done some (13,2)c/15 searches trying to force the p1 diagonal backend, but I haven't found anything too promising. Similarly to the orthogonal design, I hope that if we can find a design that is robust enough it should be workable for many speeds in a limit.
Ampere and I have done a few (12,1)c/14 searches, but nothing has shown up
Find adjustable orthogonal ship with speed limit 2c/3
Recently I found some mealworms that have a 2c/3 frontend https://conwaylife.com/forums/viewtopic ... 39#p238939 those were able to cover a bunch of new speeds >c/2 but the specific+frontend backend setup seemed to have a speed limit of 3c/5
I was able to find some rules with ships that seem to have speed limit 2c/3 but I am unsure if any are adjustable
These are of speeds 68c/104,98c/150,52c/80,22c/34, and 14c/22
Code: Select all
x = 45, y = 49, rule = B2-kn3aenq4t5acen6ac7e8/S12e3aery4ikrty5-akqy6aci8
bobo8bo8bobo7bobo7bobo$obobo5bobobo5bobobo7bo$bobo7b3o7b3o8bo7b5o$b3o
7bobo7b3o6b5o6b3o$bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo$b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o$bobo7b
3o7bobo7b3o7bobo$b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o$bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo$b3o7bobo
7b3o7bobo7b3o$bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo$b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o$bobo7b3o7bo
bo7b3o7bobo$b3o7bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o$bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo$b3o7bobo7b3o7b
3o7b3o$bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo$b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o$b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o7b
obo$bobo7bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o$11b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo$o3bo6bobo7bobo7bobo7b3o$
11b3o17b3o7bobo$11bobo6bo3bo6bobo7b3o$11b3o17b3o7bobo$11bobo17bobo7b3o
$11b3o17b3o7bobo$11b3o27b3o$11b3o16bo3bo6bobo$11b3o27b3o$11b3o27bobo$
11b3o27b3o$11b3o27bobo$11b3o27b3o$11b3o27bobo$11bobo27bobo$11b3o27b3o$
11bobo27bobo$11b3o27b3o$11bobo27b3o$11b3o27b3o$41b3o$10bo3bo26b3o$41b
3o$41b3o$41b3o$41bobo$40bo3bo$42bo!Code: Select all
x = 65, y = 111, rule = B2ace3aenq4jt5acenr6ci8/S12e3ae4ikqrty5-aky6aci8
b3o8bo9bo8b3o7b3o7b3o8bo$5o6b3o7b3o6b5o5b5o7bo8b3o$b3o6b5o5b5o6bobo7b
3o8bo7b5o$b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o6b5o6b3o$b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo$b
3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o$b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o7b3o7bobo$bobo7b3o7b3o
7b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o$b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7bo
bo7b3o$b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o$b3o7b
obo7bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo$b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o7bobo7bobo7b
3o7b3o7b3o7bobo$bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o7bobo7b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o
7b3o$bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o7bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o7b3o
7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo7b3o7bobo$b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b
3o7bobo7b3o$b3o7b3o7bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo$bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo7b
3o$b3o7bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo$bobo7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o7bobo
6bobobo6b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo$b3o7b3o17b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o7b3o17b3o7b3o7b3o
7bobo$b3o7b3o17b3o7b3o7b3o7b3o$b3o6bobobo16b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo$b3o27b3o7b
3o7b3o7b3o$b3o27b3o7b3o7b3o7bobo$obobo26b3o6bo3bo6bobo7b3o$31bobo8bo8b
3o7bobo$31b3o17bobo7b3o$31b3o17b3o7bobo$31b3o17bobo7b3o$31b3o17b3o7bob
o$30bo3bo16bobo7b3o$21bobo8bo18b3o7b3o$20bobobo26bobo7b3o$21b3o27b3o7b
3o$21bobo27bobo7b3o$21b3o27b3o7b3o$21b3o27b3o7b3o$21b3o27b3o6bobobo$
21b3o26bobobo$21b3o$21b3o$21b3o$21bobo$21b3o$21b3o$21b3o$21b3o$21b3o$
21b3o$21b3o$21b3o$21b3o28bo$21b3o27b3o$21b3o26b5o$21b3o27b3o$21b3o27bo
bo$21b3o27b3o$21b3o27bobo$21b3o27b3o$21b3o27b3o$21b3o27b3o$21b3o27b3o$
21bobo27b3o$21b3o27b3o$21b3o27b3o$21b3o27b3o$21b3o27b3o$20bo3bo26bobo$
22bo28b3o$51bobo$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51bobo$51b3o$51bobo$51b
3o$51bobo$51b3o$51bobo$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o
$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$51bobo$51b3o$51bobo$51b3o$51b3o$51b3o$
50bobobo!
Find mechanisms that are adjustable/can be rephased that can cover more reduced speeds
There are some 3c/4, 4c/5, and (3,1)c/4 engines that have been used to cover a lot of speeds
19c/25 with a 3c/4 engine
Code: Select all
x = 3, y = 5, rule = B2ac3anq4aeikny5ceqr6ik7e8/S1e3aenr4erwz5ciqry6-ck7e
2bo$2bo$o$2bo$2bo!
Code: Select all
x = 2, y = 5, rule = B2ac3n4acjknqy5qry8/S2-cn3e4cijnt5cenry6c
bo$bo$o$bo$bo!
Code: Select all
x = 9, y = 10, rule = B2acn3ae4aeqry5aik68/S2-ei3c4ceikqr5ejnqy6-ak7e
6bo$8bo$8bo$7bo$6bobo$obo2$4bo2$2bo!
19c/23 with a 5c/6 engine
Code: Select all
x = 2, y = 5, rule = B2acn3r4aciqtyz5eiky6ai7e/S2-cn3ejqry4nqy5-jkry7e
bo$bo$o$bo$bo!
Find an adjustable ship that covers an infinite amount of different reduced speeds in the form (n,m)c/n+m
Currently there has not been a ton of work done on this but there is some ideas. One idea is having 2 c/2 diagonals with a photon boucing between them that shifts them. This may work although setting up the searches might prove annoying. Another idea is having a c/2d wavefront that can be pushed and pulled by a signal traveling along it.
Find adjustable ships that cover all speeds (n,n)c/2n (c/2d multiples)
,
The design that is used for orthogonals may work here too (emulating a rule 150 1dca) we just need to find the right structure
Find more period multiples of new and already known fast relativistic ships
The best way to do this would be to find some photon reflection/signal capping reactions with known ships which can be used to cover an infinite amount of period multiples. Covering more oblique speeds will be more challenging as none of the known designs work for them.