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HFE Orbital Engineering Pod

Another fine hard sf themed utilitarian design from High Frontier Enterprises.

This pod allows an engineer to build, repair and dismantle while remaining safely in a pressurised cockpit. Usually, remote controlled robots are used for this, but the pod allows the engineer to actually be present on the scene when this is necessary. (Gameplay reason; drones cannot place block frames, but an engineer in a cockpit can.)

It is blatantly based on the work pods of 2001: ASO. I chose the sphere design because it presented an interesting challenge while helping to ensure the best possible balance and manouvreability.

Hydrogen propulsion is used, because I like ships to actually consume reaction mass and need careful piloting to conserve it. Unusually for a HFE design, the hydrogen and oxygen used are directly converted from ice instead of using tanks, in order to try and keep the pod small.

Propulsion:

4x Medium Containers of Ice

supplying 2x 02/H2 Generators

supplying 24x Small Hydrogen Thrusters

Life Support:

2x 02/H2 Generators (same two as above)

supplying 2x General Purpose Cockpits

Payload:

3x Medium Containers to carry construction parts

supplying 2x General Purpose Cockpits (same two as above) with Place Block Frames from Cockpit capability

and supplying / retrieving from 1x Welder and 1x Grinder

Systems:

2x Batteries

2x Spotlights

1x Antenna

1x Beacon

1x Connector

1x Remote Control

Conveyor system linking all inventories and Connector

Computer Systems (not set up)

7x Timers

6x Programmable Blocks

16x Small LCD Panels (8x per cockpit, visible to the sides)

Operational Notes:

Acceleration and deceleration in all directions is equal due to equal numbers of thrusters in all directions. Since the acceleration is not very high and the propellant supply quite modest too, it is recommended to fly without using inertial dampeners except in emergencies. (Also a good idea to turn dampeners on after stopping to prevent drifting.)

Since the centre of mass is right in the middle, with thrusters balanced around it, it is fully balanced and ready for use with realistic thruster physics mods.

Will fit through vanilla hangar doors.

Pilot's eye view from cockpit does not give brilliant situational awareness, it is somewhat 'blinkered'. This is due to several compromises in the design. Make plenty of use of the cameras for safe and productive flight.

No good for long journeys of any sort. If you need to take it to your other station at the next planet over, it will need to go as cargo on a proper interplanetary ship.