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| starship_classes_and_examples [2011/08/06 19:19] – [Modern Spacecraft Classification] hagalaz | starship_classes_and_examples [2011/08/16 09:22] (current) – [Modern Spacecraft Classification] hagalaz |
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| Some common examples are: | Some common examples are: |
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| * Transatmospheric Vehicle (TAV) - A generic catch-all term for an aerodynamic, single-stage-to-orbit vehicle. They are classified as short- or long-range, with long-range TAVs being technically capable of interstellar travel. Militaries will generally use 'assault shuttle' or 'aerospace fighter' to describe short-range TAVs, and 'corvette' to describe long-range TAVs. Civilians will generally use short-range TAVs as cargo shuttles or passenger shuttles, and refer to them as such. | * Transatmospheric Vehicle (TAV) - A generic catch-all term for a small, aerodynamic, single-stage-to-orbit vehicle. They are classified as short- or long-range; long-range TAVs are technically capable of interstellar travel, and are essentially short-range TAVs with a 'bolt-on' space-only engines/sensors/support package that is detached before reentry and attached before departing for deep space . Militaries will generally use 'assault shuttle' or 'aerospace fighter' to describe short-range TAVs, and 'corvette' to describe long-range TAVs. Civilians will generally use short-range TAVs as cargo shuttles or passenger shuttles, and refer to them as such. |
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| | //(Note: Think of TAVs as updated versions of the real-world [[https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Reaction_Engines_Skylon|Skylon spaceplane]] proposed by Reaction Engines Limited. They are essentially winged, flying fuel/oxidizer tanks with a small percentage of internal volume dedicated to payload, be it cargo, living quarters, etc... - Hagalaz)// |
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| * Deep Space Operations Vehicle (DSOV) - These are the ships that function for extended periods of time away from home, primarily as a research vessel. They carry a lot of fuel, and are normally equipped with enhanced sensors and plenty of cargo space for mission equipment. The DSOV will also have some way of generating artificial gravity inside a rotating habitat module, and are only capable of operation in space. DSOVs will usually carry a complement of short-range TAVs and work pods. | * Deep Space Operations Vehicle (DSOV) - These are the ships that function for extended periods of time away from home, primarily as a research vessel. They carry a lot of fuel, and are normally equipped with enhanced sensors and plenty of cargo space for mission equipment. The DSOV will also have some way of generating artificial gravity inside a rotating habitat module, and are only capable of operation in space. DSOVs will usually carry a complement of short-range TAVs and work pods. |
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| * Executive Space Vehicle (ESV) - A fast transport equipped with passenger cabins but little cargo space. Governments often use these as consular ships. They are almost always transatmospheric. | * Executive Space Vehicle (ESV) - A fast transport equipped with passenger cabins but little cargo space. Governments often use these as consular ships. They are almost always transatmospheric (see TAV blurb re: add-on equipment). |
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| * Passenger Space Vehicle (PSV) - A transport equipped with lots of passenger cabins, and spin gravity (if designed to operate solely in space). They can carry up to five short-range TAVs for transferring passengers to and from the ship. | * Passenger Space Vehicle (PSV) - A transport equipped with lots of passenger cabins, and spin gravity (if designed to operate solely in space). They can carry up to five short-range TAVs for transferring passengers to and from the ship. |
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| * Scout Vessel (SV) - the DSOV's smaller sibling. This is a transatmospheric ship capable of interstellar travel, but generally lacks the extra fuel/cargo capacity of the DSOV. Militarized versions of this ship are sometimes also referred to as 'corvettes'. | * Scout Vessel (SV) - the DSOV's smaller sibling. This is a transatmospheric ship capable of interstellar travel, but generally lacks the extra fuel/cargo capacity of the DSOV. Militarized versions of this ship are sometimes also referred to as 'corvettes'. Again, see TAV entry re: add-on equipment for space operations. |
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| * Space Dominance Vehicle (SDV) - A heavily armed and armored space-only vehicle. They can carry up to five short-range TAVs and/or work pods, and a squad of marines. Traditionalists will refer to these as 'frigates', 'destroyers', 'cruisers', or 'battlecruisers', depending on their relative size at the time of commissioning. | * Space Dominance Vehicle (SDV) - A heavily armed and armored space-only vehicle. They can carry up to five short-range TAVs and/or work pods, and a squad of marines. Traditionalists will refer to these as 'frigates', 'destroyers', 'cruisers', or 'battlecruisers', depending on their relative size at the time of commissioning. |
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| * Autonomous Kill Vehicle (AKV) - a short-ranged space-only vehicle, usually deployed by an SDV or other warship, and controlled by an on-board pseudo-intelligent computer. AKVs carried weapons such as railguns and missiles with nuclear bomb-pumped X-ray laser warheads, and were designed to serve as a force multiplier in ship-to-ship combat during the Apocalypse War, engaging warships with on-board weapons and even ramming them as a last resort. Rumors persist of rogue or orphaned AKVs still prowling Sol System's asteroid belt, but the last known encounter(s) occurred in early 2205, when an orphaned AKV destroyed the independent vessel //Talon II// and subsequently self-terminated by ramming the Coalition warship //Angelus//. //Angelus//, responding to //Talon II//'s distress call, was critically damaged in the attack and required lengthy repairs at New Philadelphia's shipyard before returning to Thinora System. Autonomous kill vehicles are prohibited by treaty in all of Known Space, and any reported sightings will pique the interests of both the Space Defense Force and any local military agencies, all who would see the vehicle destroyed rather than become a technological asset to a competitor. | * Autonomous Kill Vehicle (AKV) - a short-ranged space-only vehicle, usually deployed by an SDV or other warship, and controlled by an on-board pseudo-intelligent computer. AKVs carried weapons such as railguns and missiles with nuclear bomb-pumped X-ray laser warheads, and were designed to serve as a force multiplier in ship-to-ship combat during the Apocalypse War, engaging warships with on-board weapons and even ramming them as a last resort. Rumors persist of rogue or orphaned AKVs still prowling Sol System's asteroid belt, but the last known encounter(s) occurred in early 2205, when an orphaned AKV destroyed the independent vessel //Talon II// and subsequently self-terminated by ramming the Coalition warship //Angelus//. //Angelus//, responding to //Talon II//'s distress call, was critically damaged in the attack and required lengthy repairs at New Philadelphia's shipyard before returning to Thinora System. Autonomous kill vehicles are prohibited by treaty in all of Known Space, and any reported sightings will pique the interests of both the Space Defense Force and any local military agencies, all who would see the vehicle destroyed rather than become a technological asset to a competitor. |
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| | //(Note: AKVs are included in this wiki entry for historical purposes. Players wishing to find/interact with an AKV should contact RP Staff for assistance. - Hagalaz)// |
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| And, of course, everyone's favorite: | And, of course, everyone's favorite: |
