Guide to Spacecraft Classification

Spacecraft are the backbone of interstellar civilization. This page contains a list of common spacecraft classifications. These classifications vary widely in scope; some reflect fairly specific designs while others refer to broader roles filled by a number of distinct design types. Further, many operators and manufacturers use unique systems for categorizing their fleets, and it is common for ships of one type to be able to fill one or more roles described.

Civilian

Bulker

Bulkers are large spacecraft that move huge volumes of cargo between planets and star systems. Bulkers are typically ftl capable with minimal conventional maneuvering capabilities and long range. They generally incapable of directly landing any body with significant gravity. Bulkers offer little or no protection to their cargo, generally exposing it to the vacuum of space with minimum containment. Bulkers are often hundreds of meters or a few kilometers in length, and transport hundreds of thousands or millions of tons of cargo, often with crews ranging from one to two dozen.

Bulkers are often subdivided into container and mass bulkers. Container bulkers are fitted to transport standardized shipping containers, while mass bulkers handle large volumes of liquids or aggregate material, such as mineral ore, raw plastic and metal pellets, and fluids of various sorts. Mass bulkers are typically more specialized than container bulkers, and are often either closely related to container bulker designs or are container bulkers fitted with large modules to handle their more homogenous cargo.

Clipper

Clippers are generally medium cargo spacecraft, almost never larger than kilometer in length or 500,000 tons capacity, and more maneuverable than a bulker both in ftl and conventional flight. Clippers generally offer greater levels of protection and amenities to their cargo, such as radiation shielding, power, active cooling, and sometimes pressure. Clippers are generally not capable of operating directly from planetary surfaces, although some have been built to take off and land from low gravity airless worlds. Clippers are almost always extraordinarily long range and have crews of a dozen to nearly a hundred depending on the ship’s model and cargo. Most large interstellar passenger liners are clippers.

Runner

Runners are the smallest type of cargo ship, generally only a few hundred meters in length or less and carrying less than 1000 tons of cargo, with crew complements ranging from 6 to two dozen. Their small size typically allows them to operate from the surfaces of most planets, and they are frequently re-entry capable. Runners are frequently used for express passenger and parcel services, as couriers or VIP transports, or for data transport due to their speed and ability to access most destinations of note.

Shuttle

Shuttles are small, non-FtL capable vessels used to move cargo from handling facilities to larger transports, or to transfer cargo between transports. They are often re-entry capable, and vary dramatically in size, capacity, and crew complement. Shuttles can be sub-divided into light and heavy types based on capacity, with light shuttles moving less than 25 tons, or into passenger, container, and bulk types depending on cargo; often, both types of sub-division are used. Shuttles are also frequently used as high-speed transports between points on the same planet, or within planetary systems.