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.
Although nearly all high volume interstellar transport is done faster than light, there are a handful of large bulkers, typically ore transports servicing rogue planet mining operations, that are built without ftl capabilities and typically operated autonomously.
Clipper
Often termed “fast freighters”, 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.
Colony Ship
Colony ships are large vessels designed to transport the people and material needed to establish a planetary colony. They are often related to clippers or bulkers in design, and frequently integrate the functions of large tenders and mobile manufactories.
Mobile Manufactory
Mobile manufactories, or factory ships, are large vessels designed to construct or make significant repairs or modifications to other spacecraft and voideborne assets. Mobile manufactories vary in size depending on the type of structure they are intended to service, rarely smaller than a few hundred meters and sometimes well in excess of a kilometer. They often posses large crew complements, rarely smaller than several dozen and occasionally reaching into the hundreds or even thousands.
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 generally 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.
Surveyor
Surveyors or explorers are ships designed to chart unknown planets and star systems. They are typically relatively small, and are able to operate in a huge variety of planetary conditions and to land on a number of common unprepared surfaces. They are almost exclusively FtL capable and long-range, and equipped with extensive sensor arrays. They vary widely in size and complement, from small 6-man ships to much larger flying laboratories able to conduct extensive research far from support facilities. The very largest survey vessels often act more as carriers or tenders, supporting smaller surveyors or shuttles in various survey activities.
Tender
Tender ships are vessels designed to support other ships or voideborne assets. They are frequently equipped to refuel and conduct minor repairs on other vessels, or to provide emergency services. Tenders frequently serve local ships at starports, but some are built to rescue stranded vessels in deep space. Whether or not they are FtL capable is generally determined by their intended range of operations. Tneders vary greatly in size and crew complement, but less than a dozen is common when not providing emergency services. The largest temders are sometimes able to operate as mobile starports, able to provide a large number of services for smaller vessels or to support other ships on extended missions in uncolonized space.
Tug
Tugs are small, non-FtL capable ships designed to aid other voideborne assets in maneuvering, such as larger ships, space stations, and satellites. They are rarely capable of atmospheric entry, and often have complements of less than 6 with minimal life support provisions, although their size and power vary wildly. Tugs are often termed light, medium, or heavy depending on their power output.
