Agency: Imperial Interstellar Scout Service, Bureau of Ships Request for Proposal: IISS/BuShips RFP-90037/03x7
In response to RFP-90037/03x7 Centaur Enterprises has designed and
prototyped the Wayfarer Scout Cruiser. We feel that the Wayfarer
meets and in someways surpasses the minimum requirements set forth
in FRP-90037/03x7. FRP requires a ship capable of exploring
and recontacting planets in uncharted regions of space. The Wayfarer
is able to do this without returning to base after each mission.
It carries both a machine shop and an electronic shop, capable of
repairing minor malfunctions that otherwise would require a visit
to a starport. The ship is also freed from visits to starports by being
able to skim fuel from gas giants, oceans and comets.
The Wayfarer is powered by a reliable Heplar engine system. Heplar
drives are much cheaper and easier to maintain than the newer gravitic
thruster plates. Also since Heplar is lower level technology, it will
be easier to find replacement parts out in the wilderness areas surrounding
the Imperium. Currently thruster plates are only available in the
territory surrounding Sylea.
Upon entering a strange system, the Wayfarer is capable of conducting
a detailed analysis of the astronomical bodies and of any civilization,
with its extensive sensor suite. The analysis is facilitated by the
on board planetary science laboratory.
If the ship encounters hostile forces on its missions, it is equipped
with a rapid fire heavy laser turret. The turret is controlled by a state of
the art MFD. The MFD costs allot, but it should allow the ship to disable
enemy craft at a longer range. The ship could have been made significantly
cheaper by eliminating the MFD and reducing the laser turret to a light
turret, it was felt that wouldn't supply adequate protection against hostile
forces. Also the ship carries armor heavier than the average merchant
or scout ship. The ship could have carried more armor and weapons, but it
was felt that this might provoke a negative reaction in the recontacted
worlds.
When the Wayfarer starts to explore an individual world, it can either
descend to the world's surface itself or it can send its on board 20 ton
Launch. If it does land on the planet, it can still send out the Launch
and in addition it can send out its ATV or its three grav bikes. While
the grav bikes have a dangerous reputation on Sylea, this same reputation
appeals to the type of individuals that the Scout Service tries to recruit.
The Grav bikes are extremely long ranged, and very fast. They can carry
one passenger in addition to their driver, and can carry a small amount of
equipment. In addition they allow the scouts to blow off a bit of steam
after being cooped up on a starship for a week or so.
The Wayfarer is designed to be away from its home port for months
at a time. The mental health of the crew is a major concern of the IISS.
To help combat this problem, each crew member is given his or her own
large stateroom. To prevent the feeling of being in a tin can, a
small garden (56 cubic meters, basically a 5mx5mx2m room) is located in the
center of the ship. It is mostly stocked with ornamental bushes and
flowers, but there is room for a few fruit bushes, to provide fresh fruit
for the crew.
There is a large common area, stocked with an extensive library of
holovids, and datacubes. The ship carries a selection of exercise equipment,
and once the ship is in jump space, this gear can be used in the now empty
jump fuel tanks. The staterooms surround this common area. The common
area features several large (100 gallon) aquariums. These help break up
the layout of the room, to prevent it from looking like a giant cube.
Also most people find pets to be enjoyable and fun to be with. Larger
animals such as furbeasts, and horn hounds are much more active they also
require allot more room than a starship provides.
The Wayfarer has a crew of 9. This includes the Captain, pilot,
astrogator, turret gunner, MFD controller, 3 sensor technicians and a
steward. The steward is not just a cook and social director, he is also
trained in psychology and is able act as a ship's consular. The
ship can carry up to 8 mission specialists.
Wayfarer Scout Cruiser
General Data
Displacement: 400 tons
Hull Armor: 40
Length: 27.5 meters
Volume: 5600m3
Price: 160.22 MCr
Target Size: S
Configuration: Box SL
Tech Level: 12
Mass (Loaded/Unloaded): 3420/2789
Engineering Data
Power Plant: 400 MW Fusion. 1 year fuel supply
Jump Performance: 2
G-Rating: 1 w/Heplar
G-Turns: 50. 25m3/hour.
Fuel Tankage: 1250m3 for Heplar, 1120m3 for Jump Drives.
Maint: 131
Electronics
Computer: 3x TL 12 Std Computers
Commo: 300,000 km Radio, 3x1000AU Maser
Avionics: TL-10+ Avionics
Sensors: 2x300,000km AEMS, 2x120,000km PEMS Fixed Arrays and
1xNeutrino Sensor.
Controls: 7 workstations. High Automation controls
Crew Accommodations: Crew each has a large stateroom.
Passenger Accommodations: 8 Large Staterooms for 8 support staff.
Cargo: 462 m3
Small Craft and Launch Facilities: 20 ton Launch, in Docking Tube. TL-10 Civilian ATV, 3 TL-12 Grav Bikes.
Other Facilities: Laboratory, Machine Shop, Electronic Shop, small garden.
Air Locks: 4
Notes:Notes: The ship has fuel scoops and a purification plant.
It is capable of scooping
400 tons of fuel in 1 hour, so it can fill all of its fuel tanks, both
power plant and jump drive, in 13 minutes. It is capable of purifying
50 tons of fuel per hour, so it takes 1 hour and 36 minutes to purify
the jump drive fuel.
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