Ship Design Philosophy

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

L. Confederationwise, I'd go for either a modular spacecraft at thirty five tonnes.

M. Or, a container weighing in at thirty five tonnes.

N. Spacecraft limited, would allow a certain conformity with smallcraft configured at that tonnage.

O. Container centric, would allow two firmpoints.

P. Basically, sized for a weapons platform.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

Q. One thing I have to bear in mind, is that five tonnes is the equivalent of a forty foot container.

R. That's a lot of space to stuff stuff.

S. What would a miniaturized modular cutter be termed?

T. That would be a sort of efficiency trade off between the maximum size of a smallcraft transporter, and what's the usual payload.

U. Fifty tonnes being the limit for a cockpitted spacecraft.

 

[Condottiere]

AI Overview
Learn more

A 40-foot shipping container can hold about 80 people standing comfortably. This is based on each person needing about 2 square feet of space. However, other factors like weight and structural integrity need to be considered.

Factors to Consider:

• Space: A 40-foot container has 320 square feet of space.
• Comfort: Each person needs roughly 2 square feet to stand comfortably.
• Weight: A container can hold almost 60,000 pounds, but the total number of occupants may be lower than the weight threshold.
• Anchoring: The container must be properly anchored to a foundation.
• Weight distribution: The weight of stacked containers is concentrated at the corners.
• Ventilation and Safety: A large number of people in a closed space would require adequate ventilation, and there would be safety concerns regarding overcrowding and exits.

Practical Considerations:

• While theoretically 80 people could fit, it's unlikely to be a comfortable or practical situation.
• A 40-foot container is typically used for transporting goods, not as a living space.
• In some cases, 40-foot containers can be used as modular offices or temporary living units, but these would be designed with appropriate space and comfort considerations for the number of occupants.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Spacecraft: Cargo

S. What would a miniaturized modular cutter be termed?

I created a "Space Truck" 20 tons with a 15 ton module so that it can switch functions. The idea is it might be the only vehicle capable of flight on the planet when the ship trading there isn't present. Light hull (streamlined or standard), non gravity, 1 g, basic sensors, minimum price except for being modular maybe a laser drill firm point. Also a non modular similar cargo design slightly cheaper but passengers would be riding in a cargo area that was not comfortable and maybe not clean.

 

[Condottiere]

If we're going in that direction, pickup for five tonnes.

Most colonized planets are below standard Terran gravity, so factor/one is viable.

It's when it's equal or greater, than it should matter as to how you lift, let alone reach orbit.

 

[Condottiere]

Speaking of pickups, you'd still have to have five tonnes for the main chassis.

What could be done, is add an external cargo mount; you then cram in the cargo, in whatever form it takes, containerized or loose, into that.

Adjust performance accordingly.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

V. The container could be self propelled.

W. Cheapest way, assuming really short distance, is a cockpit and reactionary rockets.

X. Going by High Guard, that caps it at fifty tonnes.

Y. It would be a standard hull configuration, light, presumably non gravitated.

Z. Probably, battery powered.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Spacecraft: Cargo

V. The container could be self propelled.

W. Cheapest way, assuming really short distance, is a cockpit and reactionary rockets.

Cheapest way assuming a system has a significant volume of traffic using them is no cockpit or propulsion but a local tug with an M-Drive that manoeuvres them to docking. 1 drive, 1 cockpit (or small bridge),1 pilot many containers and the ship doesn't need to carry the extra small craft pilot. More cargo per container.

Disconnected it can get along (if no passengers/livestock) for some time with no power if gravity isn't required (low g might be used to lower power if g is needed).

 

[Condottiere]

Depends if the tug is available, and how much the service costs.

Booking in advance isn't going to work with an unreliable transition time.

Though, canonically, you could pilot a two kilotonne hull from a cockpit.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Depends if the tug is available, and how much the service costs.

Booking in advance isn't going to work with an unreliable transition time.

Though, canonically, you could pilot a two kilotonne hull from a cockpit.

I just put the key assumption in the post you responded to in BOLD as you seem to have missed it.

Even a small line might find it cheaper to own a tug in systems they trade if they are running a few ships. A Co-op could as well. Not to mention the planet doing so to encourage traders bringing in their needs.

 

[Condottiere]

You can subsidize tugs and spaceport services.

Though, first you have to arrive at them.

Tugs provide a specialized service, that's likely booked in blocks of time.

You don't know exactly when you will be arriving, so booking one would be when you do.

You could assume that profit is sufficient that you have several unengaged ones buzzing around.

Usual acceleration is factor/one for the starship.

The tug has oversized drives to compensate for the extra baggage.

However, if manufactured below the requisite technological level, can't fully utilize that acceleration, unloaded.

Give the cargo pod independent propulsion, it can separate from the freighter, and go directly to the contracted unloading area.

Possibly, at acceleration factor/three.

While the freighter could mosey on down to the passenger terminal.

The passengers have already paid, the cargo might be cash on delivery.

That's just one possible scenario, as to why you might want self motivated cargo pods.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

1. Instead of carrying cargo inside the hull, a ship may be designed to mount cargo in an external rack or framework.

2. I thought there might be panelling involved.

3. Essentially, open frame means no volume, or at least, it's immaterial.

4. Streamlined or distributed ships may not use external cargo mounts.

5. I'm sure the have their reasons, though, I'd have thought that streamlined spacecraft just become unstreamlined. A ship using external cargo mounts will become unstreamlined.

6. A ship’s Thrust and jump capability must be recalculated when using external cargo mounts, using the combined tonnage of the ship and the external cargo it carries.

7. The cost of an external cargo mount is Cr1000 for every ton of cargo to be carried externally.

8. Cargo carried externally can only be accessed outside the ship by vacc suit or transport vehicle.

9. You could install an airlock underneath the external cargo mount.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

A. Landing a ship with external cargo mounts is a dangerous procedure (a Bane is imposed on all Pilot checks made for landing such a ship), so these ships can have difficulties trading at worlds without a shuttle fleet or highport.

B. That either implies gravity, and/or atmosphere.

C. You could configure the cargo hold and the upper deck like a containership.

D. External cargo can be jettisoned remotely.

E. The mount is equipped with explosive bolts, allowing specific cargo to be released if necessary.

F. You could choose just to open the gate, and not blow off the fence.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

G. The jump net, as described, only functions together with the lanthanum grid.

H. You can use the ordinary net within a jump bubble.

I. Or, the tow rope.

J. Though, I think the tow rope needs some major revising.

K. In regard to it's relationship between the tonnage of the tower, and the tonnage of the towee.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

L. If we use external cargo mounts, and have to blow the bolts, we add a kilostarbux to the operating cost of the cargo, per tonne.

M. We'd save about a tonne of internal cargo space, but that's a fixed cost, plus maintenance, plus electricity.

N. However, cargo pods tend to constructed as spacecraft, so that would even itself out.

O. Spacestations hulls default to spacecraft.

P. About the only thing cheap about them is their control centres.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

Q. The system includes fuel hoses, cargo transfer tubes and other gear designed to move ordnance and freight between two ships (although only one of the ships is required to carry the UNREP system).

R. Each ton dedicated to the UNREP system allows the transfer of 20 tons of fuel, cargo or ordnance every hour.

S. Or, align the Underway Replenishment system with one of the cargo pod doors.

T. Twenty tonnes is two hundred eighty cubic metres.

U. Two tonnes, or twenty eight cubic metres, every six minutes.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

V. These tanks are used to convert cargo space into working fuel tanks with all the pumps and feed lines required.

W. Fuel can be used directly from these tanks, enabling ships to make longer jumps than they would be able to on their own tanks (however, they are still limited by the capability of their jump drive).

X. When empty, these tanks consume the same space as when they are full and cannot bused for anything but fuel.

Y. It takes four weeks to add or remove mountable fuel tanks to a ship’s cargo spaces.

Z. In an external cargo mount, mountable tanks are probably added or removed a lot faster.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Spacecraft: Cargo

V. These tanks are used to convert cargo space into working fuel tanks with all the pumps and feed lines required.

W. Fuel can be used directly from these tanks, enabling ships to make longer jumps than they would be able to on their own tanks (however, they are still limited by the capability of their jump drive).

X. When empty, these tanks consume the same space as when they are full and cannot bused for anything but fuel.

Y. It takes four weeks to add or remove mountable fuel tanks to a ship’s cargo spaces.

Z. In an external cargo mount, mountable tanks are probably added or removed a lot faster.

Fuel tank pods. Connections at the docking clamps.

 

[Condottiere]

Since they aren't drop tanks, the only way to smoothly transfer fuel is by Underway Replenishment system.

Docking clamps is a feasible alternative, though at one tonne for thirty tonne tank, at half a megastarbux.

Or, sixteen and two thirds kilostarbux per tonne.

 

[Condottiere]

Spacecraft: Cargo

1. Used by naval patrol ships, scavengers and pirates to board spacecraft, forced linkage apparatuses are close-range grappling devices that allow attempts at forced docking.

2. Also, to closely hug anything from one tonne to five kilotonnes.

3. After a successful grapple, the ship can be boarded or towed into port at leisure.

4. Or, taken for a ride.

5.

6. Grappling cables can be used to restrain a fleeing ship or stabilise a tumbling ship.

7. Or, grab a cargo pod.

8. The ship attempting forced linkage must have a Thrust advantage of at least one over the opposing ship and may not be less than half the tonnage of the target ship.

9. One minus zero is one, and how many large double sized cargo pods can you grab?