May 19th, 2013, 10:07
Hehe.
Good question Terry, let's investigate...
Quite simple, you would start up the impulse engines at .75 power and using both the shields and tractor beam, create a low pressure damping field around the lower hull. This would in effect, neutralize the Earth's gravity and allow the ship to gain altitude. Once sufficient height had been attained, the ship could have escaped the atmosphere under normal impulse power.