Traveller has been on my mind this week, and, as usual, this has resulted
in a few vehicle designs. The first is a fairly conventional small craft
fro asteroid miners, and the second is an example of the sort of "superbulk"
freighters that we have been discussing when trade and commerce has been
an issue. On the freighter, note that the name is inspired by the author
of "The Leviathan" rather than the stuffed tiger...
Rob Dean
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ConTech Explorer III Prospector's Boat TL15
The Explorer III was designed and marketed by ConTech of Glisten as a
dedicated auxiliary craft for asteroid prospectors. The Explorer III is
intended to fit into the air/raft bay of a standard Type S scout ship, the
most common vessel modified for prospecting. The Explorer includes a power-
ful densitometer for examination of prospective asteroids, and a cutting
laser and a quartet of external robotic arms to allow samples to be gathered
without the necessity of vacc suit work. No long term accommodations are
ordinarily provided, but a bunk could be installed in the cargo space allot-
ment, if desired.
CraftID: Explorer III Prospector's Boat, TL15, MCr2.66
Hull: 4/9, Disp=4, Config=4USL, Armor=40G, Loaded=53.35t,
Unloaded=26.64t
Power: 1/2, Fusion=12MW, Dur=7 days
Loco: 1/2, StdGrav=40t, TrueAcc=0.75G (0.375 deep space), Unloaded
Atmospheric Speed: 300kph maximum, 240 kph cruise, 40kph NOE.
Comm: Radio=Continental*2
Sensors: EMS Active(Planetary), HighPenDensitometer(1km), Magnetic Sensor,
Radiation Sensor, ActObjScan=Diff, ActObjPin=Diff,
PassObjScan=Rout, PassObjPin=Rout
Off: Hardpoints=1
Pen/ Max Auto Dngr
Attn Dmg Range Tgts Spc Sig ROF
10MW Pulse Laser 33/3 12 VDist(50) 3 - H 80
Def: DefDM=+2
Control: Comp0*3, HeadsUpDisplay*1, HoloLink*16
Accom: Seats=Roomy*2, Env=basic env, basic ls, ext ls, airlock
Other: Fuel=3.024kl, Cargo=26.5kl, HeavyRobotArms*2, LightRobotArms*2,
ObjSize=Small, EmLevel=Moderate
Hobbes class Superbulk Freighter TL15
The Hobbes class superbulk freighter is an example of the extremely
large merchant craft run on prepared routes in the Imperial core, and civi-
lized sections of the Imperial fringes. The freighters are dependent on
picking up fresh sets of drop tanks at each stop, and power plant fuel has
been pared down to the minimum needed for a port-to-port trip. Since a fully
loaded freighter has an acceleration of only 0.083G, reaching the safe jump
limit in a large gas giant system could take up to 70 hours, although most
mainworlds are smaller. No provison is made for wilderness refueling, and
megacorporations operating vessels of this and similar classes generally
operate their own fueling facilities at each stop. The cargo capacity of
170,517 tons allows over 42,600 Imperial Standard 4 ton freight containers to
be carried.
CraftID: Superbulk Freighter, TL15, MCr43701+50.635/drop tanks
Hull: 180000/450000, Disp=200000t (+50000t), Config=4USL, Armor=40G,
Loaded=3,097,509t, Unloaded=742,535t
Power: 1807/3614, Fusion=487800MW, Duration=14 days
Loco: 3600/7200, Maneuver=1 (Thrusters=260kt), 9000/18000, Jump=4,
TrueAcc=0.083G, Agility=0
Comm: Radio=System*3, Laser=System*3, Maser=System*3
Sensors: EMS Active(FarOrbit)*2, EMS Jammer (FarOrbit)*2,
EMS Passive(Interstellar)*2, Neutrino Sensor (10kw)*2,
High Pen Densitometer (1km)*2, ActObjScan=Rout,
ActObjPin=Rout, PassObjScan=Rout, PassObjPin=Rout,
PassEnScan=Simp, PassEnPin=Rout
Off: Hardpoints=2000
BeamLaser=xx9
Batteries 1
Bearing 1
Def: DefDM+7
SandCaster=x09
Batteries 6
Bearing 4
Control: Computer Mod9fib*3, 160*HeadsUpHoloDisplay, 14900*HoloLink
Accom: Crew=170 (18 bridge, 120 engineer, 5 maintenance, 9 gunnery,
13 command, 4 steward, 1 medical), Staterooms=170, Env=basic env,
basic ls, extended ls, grav plates, inertial comp
Other: Fuel=81950kl (14 days), Cargo=2,301,987kl (170,517 tons),
ObjSize=Large, EmLevel=Strong