TL-9 Prospector's Buggy

BARD PAPER: VERA0022

A two ton, pressurised, grav-vehicle used for prospecting work and as a utility vehicle by Belters. In zero-G, the contragrav lifters are switched off to conserve power, and the craft is propelled with short bursts from a rear-mounted HF rocket. However, the buggy is also equipped with a pair of high-bypass turbofans to provide thrust in-atmosphere. Both thrust units are fed from the same fuel tankage, which provides for 4 G-minutes for the rocket or about an hour with the turbofans. Extra fuel for in-atmosphere usage is usually provided by fitting drop-tanks to the buggy's hardpoints (a two-hour tank masses 308 kgs and costs Cr 308).

The buggy can carry four people and a small amount of gear. Extra cargo-space can be gained by removing the rear passanger seats (3.5 kL per seat). In zero-G, "cargo" is slung from numerous attachment points around the vehicle, or carried in external cages attached to the stubwing hardpoints.

The prospector's buggy originally appeared in Beltstrike , and was redesigned with Fire Fusion & Steel.

TL-9 Prospector's Buggy

General Data

Price: 261,761 Cr

Tech Level: 9

Size: Micro (28m³).

Mass: 5641 kg empty; 7193 kg loaded.

Power: 0.678 MW MHD turbine power plant with two HBTs generating 1.4 T thrust. HF Rocket generating 2 T thrust. 0.04 MW power surplus in vaccuum, 0.028 MW in atmosphere.

Maint: 2

Controls: TL-9 computer-linked, TL-6 flight avionics, 2 * TL-9 Model Flt computers.

Comunications: 300 km radio.

Sensor: 0.3 km radar; 3 km HRT.

Electronic Countermeasures: None

Life Support: Light, Heat, Sealed Environment. No G-compensation.

Cargo: Up to 0.2 m³ / 50 kg. Extra cargo can be attached to external load points or in cages attached to hardpoints.

Crew: Pilot in open crewstation. Optional Copilot/Sensor operator in open crewstation.

Passengers: Two (adequete).

Fire Control: None.

Armament: None.

Hardpoints: Stubwings with two plumbed IWHPs (1.5 T each).

Acceleration: Up to 1G. 4 G-minutes of fuel provided.

Maxiumum Speed: 208 kph.

Cruising Speed: 156 kph.

NOE Speed: 40 kph.

Travel Move: 624 km.

Combat Move: 29, 6 at NOE.

Fuel Consumption: MHD turbine consumes 0.2712 kL HRF per hour, or 0.1356 kL LHyd in atmosphere. Rocket consumes 0.5 kL HRF per G-minute. HBTs consume 2 kL LHyd per hour.

Internal Fuel Capacity: 2 kL of HRF for rocket/HBTs; 1.67 kL HRF or LHyd for MHD.

Endurance: 6/12 hours power plant; 4 minutes rocket or one hour HBT.

Range: 156 km. Drop tanks increase this to 780 km.