Cargo Ship
Cargo ships (also called freighters) are a class of space ship primarily intended for medium to long range cargo transport. They are operated by every FTL society, and many pre-FTL societies operating within their own star system. As civilian vessels, cargo ships are rarely armed or armoured, unless designed for operation in areas with a pirate presence. Cargo ships are classified into six categories, based on their size.
Early cargo ships predate FTL travel. Like the cargo ships of today, they transported raw materials from outlying colonies, habitats, and stations, to refineries closer to a homeworld. However, their size was limited by the strength of their structural integrity field. With the development of repulsor technology, smaller cargo ships were able to easily land and take off from gravity wells, creating a niche for smaller personal cargo ships that can be operated by a very small crew.
Class-1 cargo ships are called 'light freighers', and are typically 20m-50m in length. Smaller light freighters are often converted Class-A shuttles, while those on the larger end are purpose-built. They are the cheapest and most maneuverable of the cargo ship classes, and are usually owned by individuals or small businesses for small cargo runs between locations on a planet or within a planetary system. However, they can be fitted with hyper drives for interstellar travel. Class-1 cargo ships are universally capable of landing on planets and in standard hangars.
Class-2 cargo ships are called 'medium freighters', and are typically 50m-150m in length. These are some of the most common cargo ships, balancing a decent cargo capacity with the ability to land on a planet's surface and maintain a good turning speed. However, they are too large to fit inside most hangards, and as such, must use external docking tubes to dock with space stations. Ships of this size are commonly used for intraplanetary and intrasystem cargo, such as supply runs to outlying stations and outposts. Many medium freighters are used to ferry cargo between larger transports unable to land in a gravity well, and a planet's surface.
Class-3 cargo ships are called 'bulk freighters', and are typically 150m-500m in length. Class-3 ships are the most common type of freighter for interstellar transport, and can be seen in any major or minor spaceway en masse. Bulk freighters are the smallest class of cargo ship that begins to store cargo in external containers, connected via modular attachment points to a skeletal frame. However, some bulk freighters (especially those that aim to land on planets), continue to opt for completely enclosed cargo storage.
Class-4 cargo ships are called 'heavy freighters', and are typically 500m-1,000m in length. For many years, heavy freighters were the largest commonly sighted type of cargo ship, but developments in the early 2300s CE with regards to improved structural integrity field saw the proliferation of even larger cargo ships. Few heavy freighters can land in a gravity well, so most of this class is designed around a modular 'spinal' configuration with external cargo pods.
Class-5 cargo ships are called 'superfreighters', and are typically 1,000m-5,000m in length. Many ships of this category are compared to colony ships in terms of size. Until the development of even larger ships in the early 2300s CE, superfreighters were a rare sight, even among the wealthiest megacorps. By the mid 24th century CE, however, they have become more commonplace as economies of scale drive down the costs of interstellar cargo transport. Ships of this size are often too large for their structural integrity fields to safely maintain, so are required to fly in near-perfectly straight lines between hyperlane entry points and stations.
Class-6 cargo ships are called 'hyperfreighters', and are any cargo ship over 5 kilometres long. These behemoths rival even military titans in size, though they lack the same durability and maneuverability. There are only a handful of civilian ships this large in the galaxy, most of which are operated by megacorporations. Ships of this size are uneconomical to operate between small colonies, so are entirely limited to long-distance journeys between significant population centres. Like titans, these ships are also far too large to construct in typical shipyards. Instead, they are built by semi-mobile construction platforms.
Early cargo ships predate FTL travel. Like the cargo ships of today, they transported raw materials from outlying colonies, habitats, and stations, to refineries closer to a homeworld. However, their size was limited by the strength of their structural integrity field. With the development of repulsor technology, smaller cargo ships were able to easily land and take off from gravity wells, creating a niche for smaller personal cargo ships that can be operated by a very small crew.
Class-1 cargo ships are called 'light freighers', and are typically 20m-50m in length. Smaller light freighters are often converted Class-A shuttles, while those on the larger end are purpose-built. They are the cheapest and most maneuverable of the cargo ship classes, and are usually owned by individuals or small businesses for small cargo runs between locations on a planet or within a planetary system. However, they can be fitted with hyper drives for interstellar travel. Class-1 cargo ships are universally capable of landing on planets and in standard hangars.
Class-2 cargo ships are called 'medium freighters', and are typically 50m-150m in length. These are some of the most common cargo ships, balancing a decent cargo capacity with the ability to land on a planet's surface and maintain a good turning speed. However, they are too large to fit inside most hangards, and as such, must use external docking tubes to dock with space stations. Ships of this size are commonly used for intraplanetary and intrasystem cargo, such as supply runs to outlying stations and outposts. Many medium freighters are used to ferry cargo between larger transports unable to land in a gravity well, and a planet's surface.
Class-3 cargo ships are called 'bulk freighters', and are typically 150m-500m in length. Class-3 ships are the most common type of freighter for interstellar transport, and can be seen in any major or minor spaceway en masse. Bulk freighters are the smallest class of cargo ship that begins to store cargo in external containers, connected via modular attachment points to a skeletal frame. However, some bulk freighters (especially those that aim to land on planets), continue to opt for completely enclosed cargo storage.
Class-4 cargo ships are called 'heavy freighters', and are typically 500m-1,000m in length. For many years, heavy freighters were the largest commonly sighted type of cargo ship, but developments in the early 2300s CE with regards to improved structural integrity field saw the proliferation of even larger cargo ships. Few heavy freighters can land in a gravity well, so most of this class is designed around a modular 'spinal' configuration with external cargo pods.
Class-5 cargo ships are called 'superfreighters', and are typically 1,000m-5,000m in length. Many ships of this category are compared to colony ships in terms of size. Until the development of even larger ships in the early 2300s CE, superfreighters were a rare sight, even among the wealthiest megacorps. By the mid 24th century CE, however, they have become more commonplace as economies of scale drive down the costs of interstellar cargo transport. Ships of this size are often too large for their structural integrity fields to safely maintain, so are required to fly in near-perfectly straight lines between hyperlane entry points and stations.
Class-6 cargo ships are called 'hyperfreighters', and are any cargo ship over 5 kilometres long. These behemoths rival even military titans in size, though they lack the same durability and maneuverability. There are only a handful of civilian ships this large in the galaxy, most of which are operated by megacorporations. Ships of this size are uneconomical to operate between small colonies, so are entirely limited to long-distance journeys between significant population centres. Like titans, these ships are also far too large to construct in typical shipyards. Instead, they are built by semi-mobile construction platforms.
Length
20-50m (Class-1)
50-150m (Class-2)
150-500m (Class-3)
500-1,000m (Class-4)
1,000-5,000m (Class 5)
5,000m+ (Class-6)
50-150m (Class-2)
150-500m (Class-3)
500-1,000m (Class-4)
1,000-5,000m (Class 5)
5,000m+ (Class-6)
Complement / Crew
2-4 (Class-1)
10-20 (Class-2)
20-30 (Class-3)
30-50 (Class-4)
50-100 (Class 5)
100+ (Class-6)
10-20 (Class-2)
20-30 (Class-3)
30-50 (Class-4)
50-100 (Class 5)
100+ (Class-6)
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