Wheeler (Space Station class)
Sarna News
| |
| Wheeler-class station | |
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | Commonwealth Mining Corporation
|
| Type | Habitat |
| Tech Base | Inner Sphere |
| Cost | ??? |
| Introduced | 2556 (2082 uprated armor)[1] |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 200,000 tons |
| Length | 1,250 meters |
| Width | 1,250 meters |
| Thrust | None |
| Fuel (tons) | 600 |
| Fuel (days) | 3.952 |
| LF battery | 0 |
| Armament |
|
| Armor | 500 tons Standard Fore = 500 Fore-Sides = 500 Aft-Sides = 500 Aft = 500 |
| Structural Integrity | 1 |
| Docking Collars | 4 |
| Crew/Passengers | 15 officers 70 enlisted/con-rated 4 gunners 9,911 first-class passengers |
| Grav Decks | 1 (1,250-meter diameter) |
| Escape Pods/Life Boats | 0/2,000 |
| Heat Sinks | 114 |
| BV (1.0) | ??? |
| BV (2.0) | ??? |
Description[edit]
The Wheeler-class Space Station (formerly called "Stanford-class habitats" and "Wheel stations") are exclusive to the Gulf Breeze system, with most of the 200 stations placed in the rings of Gulf Breeze V. The Spider shipyard, located in Gulf Breeze V's ring, builds a maximum of two stations per year to this day, with each station lasting around 200 years before becoming uneconomical to maintain.
Originally designed and built by the Commonwealth Mining Corporation during the days of the Star League, the station was intended to house miners during their weeklong downtime from their work on surface mines of the nearly uninhabitable Gulf Breeze V. The Wheeler-class design has survived the collapse of its creator during the Second Succession War. The stations are now constructed by Nashan Mining, which bought the nationalized CMC's assets in 3053.[2]
The torus, which makes up most of the station, acts as a giant grav deck, creating 1g by rotation at 1.2 revolutions per minute. It is here where the thousands of permanent inhabitants are housed and business and recreational areas are located, as well as aquaponic and more specialized farms. While windowless, the interior is often arranged in the shape of streets and atria, to give the inhabitants a sense of open space. Much of the listed "cargo" is actually furnishing for these areas.
Parts of the 200 x 200 meter hub, which mounts the four docking collars, do not rotate. The pressurized repair bay, also located at the hub, is big enough to barely hold a Mule.
Torus and hub are connected by six spokes, each of which contain several elevators for WorkMechs and personnel.
Cargo[edit]
Bay 1: Small Craft (12) - 4 doors
Bay 2: Pressurized Repair Bay (12,000 ton capacity) - 1 door
Bay 3: Cargo (59,430 tons) - 1 door
Variants[edit]
- Older variants built prior to the Second Succession War are barely armored, having only 10% of the listed armor values of the modern model.
- Wheelers not situated in Gulf Breeze V's ring usually forsake their weaponry, as they are meant for defense against space debris.
Named Stations[edit]
- Station 59 - Well-known for its hops and cereal crops, as well as its ale.[3]
- Station 111 - Well-known for its fruit-and-cream desserts.[4]
- Gulf Breeze Station - A derivative of the Wheeler – five such stations, attached hub-to-hub, with one anchored to the north pole of one of Gulf Breeze V's shepherd moons, make up most of the body. At 930,000 tons, this massive construction, housing 50,000 permanent inhabitants, is the largest habitat station in the Inner Sphere outside of the Terra system.[5]
Gallery[edit]
Wheeler from TTS:Gulf Breeze
Overhead view of a Wheeler from TTS:Gulf Breeze
