Difference between revisions of "Altair (Transport)"

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{{otheruses|the spaceship class|other uses|Altair (disambiguation)}}
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
The '''''Altair''''' class of interplanetary transports was a product of the [[Alliance Space Command]], the organization founded by the [[Western Alliance]] in [[2016]] to develop the first permanent lunar station and then a number of technological development programmes relating to spacecraft and stellar exploration. The first ''Altair''-class ships were constructed to perform the first manned missions to [[Mars]].<ref name="D&Jp6">''DropShips and JumpShips'', p. 6, "Rise of the Western Alliance"</ref>
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The '''''Altair''''' class of interplanetary transports was a product of the [[Alliance Space Command]], the organization founded by the [[Western Alliance]] in [[2016]] to develop the first permanent lunar station and then a number of technological development programs relating to spacecraft and stellar exploration. The first ''Altair''-class ships were constructed to perform the first manned missions to [[Terra|Mars]].<ref name="D&Jp6">''DropShips and JumpShips: ComStar Intelligence Summary'', p. 6: "Rise of the Western Alliance"</ref>
  
The first two vessels, the [[Altair (Altair)|AS ''Altair'']] and the [[Procyon (Altair)|AS ''Procyon'']] were launched in July and August [[2017]] respectively, having been constructed at [[Crippen Station]] in orbit above [[Terra]]. The ''Altairs'' were designed to use small nuclear fission power plants to generate electrical power and used conventional chemical propulsion systems. Each was designed to support a crew of six people for the journey to Mars and back, which was planned to be a year-long round trip; in an echo of the [[Grav Deck|grav deck]]s of the future, each ''Altair'' incorporated a spinning grav section to generate artificial gravity.<ref name="D&Jp6"/>
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The first two vessels, the [[Altair (Individual Altair-class spacecraft)|AS ''Altair'']] and the [[Procyon (Individual Altair-class spacecraft)|AS ''Procyon'']] were launched in July and August [[2017]] respectively, having been constructed at [[Crippen Station]] in orbit above [[Terra]]. The ''Altair''s were designed to use small nuclear fission power plants to generate electrical power and used conventional chemical propulsion systems. Each was designed to support a crew of six people for the journey to Mars and back, which was planned to be a year-long round trip; in an echo of the [[Grav Deck|grav deck]]s of the future, each ''Altair'' incorporated a spinning grav section to generate artificial gravity.<ref name="D&Jp6"/>
  
 
==Variants==
 
==Variants==
The fourth ship of the ''Altair'' class, the [[Columbia (Altair)|AS ''Columbia'']], was launched in [[2018]], and between April [[2026]] and October [[2027]]<ref name="D&Jp7"/><ref>''BattleSpace'' (sourcebook), p. 7, "A New World Order"</ref> was extensively modified to incorporate the first fusion drive designed to be used in space.<ref name="D&Jp7">''DropShips and JumpShips'', p. 7, "Rise of the Western Alliance"</ref> The various changes incorporated into the refit of the ''Columbia'' included moving the crew module to the front of the ship and mounting a new and enlarged drive section at the rear of the ship, seperated from the crew module a large shield designed to block radioactive emissions from the drive. The drive incorporated a new cooling system that consumed large quantities of coolant but which effectively cooled the drive while the drive pumped out large quantities of super-hot plasma to propel the ''Columbia''. The crew compartment was expanded to accomodate twelve crew.<ref name="D&Jp6A">''DropShips and JumpShips'', p. 6, "The Fusion-Powered Marvel"</ref>
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The fourth ship of the ''Altair'' class, the [[Columbia (Individual Altair-class spacecraft)|AS ''Columbia'']], was launched in [[2018]], and between April [[2026]] and October [[2027]]<ref name="D&Jp7"/><ref>''BattleSpace'', p. 7: "A New World Order"</ref> was extensively modified to incorporate the first fusion drive designed to be used in space.<ref name="D&Jp7">''DropShips and JumpShips: ComStar Intelligence Summary'', p. 7: "Rise of the Western Alliance"</ref> The various changes incorporated into the refit of the ''Columbia'' included moving the crew module to the front of the ship and mounting a new and enlarged drive section at the rear of the ship, separated from the crew module by a large shield designed to block radioactive emissions from the drive. The drive incorporated a new cooling system that consumed large quantities of coolant but which effectively cooled the drive while the drive pumped out large quantities of superhot plasma to propel the ''Columbia''. The crew compartment was expanded to accommodate twelve crew.<ref name="D&Jp6A">''DropShips and JumpShips: ComStar Intelligence Summary'', p. 6: "The Fusion-Powered Marvel"</ref>
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 
* [[:Category:Individual Altair-class Transports|List of named individual ''Altair''-class Transports]]
 
* [[:Category:Individual Altair-class Transports|List of named individual ''Altair''-class Transports]]
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==Gallery==
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<gallery>
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As_columbia.jpg|The ''Altair''-class AS ''Columbia''
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</gallery>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
* ''[[BattleSpace]]'' (sourcebook)
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* ''[[BattleSpace]]''
 
* ''[[DropShips and JumpShips]]''
 
* ''[[DropShips and JumpShips]]''
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[[Category:Inner Sphere Spacecraft]]
 
[[Category:Inner Sphere Spacecraft]]

Latest revision as of 00:48, 31 August 2023

This article is about the spaceship class. For other uses, see Altair (disambiguation).

Description[edit]

The Altair class of interplanetary transports was a product of the Alliance Space Command, the organization founded by the Western Alliance in 2016 to develop the first permanent lunar station and then a number of technological development programs relating to spacecraft and stellar exploration. The first Altair-class ships were constructed to perform the first manned missions to Mars.[1]

The first two vessels, the AS Altair and the AS Procyon were launched in July and August 2017 respectively, having been constructed at Crippen Station in orbit above Terra. The Altairs were designed to use small nuclear fission power plants to generate electrical power and used conventional chemical propulsion systems. Each was designed to support a crew of six people for the journey to Mars and back, which was planned to be a year-long round trip; in an echo of the grav decks of the future, each Altair incorporated a spinning grav section to generate artificial gravity.[1]

Variants[edit]

The fourth ship of the Altair class, the AS Columbia, was launched in 2018, and between April 2026 and October 2027[2][3] was extensively modified to incorporate the first fusion drive designed to be used in space.[2] The various changes incorporated into the refit of the Columbia included moving the crew module to the front of the ship and mounting a new and enlarged drive section at the rear of the ship, separated from the crew module by a large shield designed to block radioactive emissions from the drive. The drive incorporated a new cooling system that consumed large quantities of coolant but which effectively cooled the drive while the drive pumped out large quantities of superhot plasma to propel the Columbia. The crew compartment was expanded to accommodate twelve crew.[4]

See Also[edit]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 DropShips and JumpShips: ComStar Intelligence Summary, p. 6: "Rise of the Western Alliance"
  2. 2.0 2.1 DropShips and JumpShips: ComStar Intelligence Summary, p. 7: "Rise of the Western Alliance"
  3. BattleSpace, p. 7: "A New World Order"
  4. DropShips and JumpShips: ComStar Intelligence Summary, p. 6: "The Fusion-Powered Marvel"

Bibliography[edit]