Momentum

I designed a fictional spaceship for its own sake but if it needs context then nominally it may fit into my rudimentary Five Civilizations setting. If so then the Terran Civilian Ship (TCS) Momentum has been re-fit with contemporary technology derived from the contact of the Five Civilizations and is maintained as a heritage craft for historical appreciation tours. It has all the lastest technology like graviton plating but its historic design reflects a time in which centrifugal force was still utilized by Terrans to simulate gravity. The description provided here will refer only to its original more basic form...



The Momentum was designed to run mid-range missions such as taking passengers, cargo and data between Sol and Proxima Centauri. Such a journey takes it two standard weeks. The vessel is almost 100 stellar metres long and cannot land but it can dock with space stations such as Midway Port (which maintains a position halfway between these two named stars).

The central habitat module is a three-layered centrifuge bookended by two cargo hemispheres onto which the warp rings are mounted and also sports a number of other components. Behind the habitat module are fusion energy generation and plasma propulsion units that are together referred to as the engine. At the front is a lander component that can visit planets and while attached to the whole ship is a continuation of the habitat mid-level (accessed via command). The interface between the two allows for docking with other vessels once the two parts are separated. The surface of the ship is covered with an ablative hide, transparent solar generation laminate, sensor net, thermal venting pores and radiation-absorbing insulation gel.

The ship has space for 24 occupants which includes a crew of 8 (see comment). There are also various robots and drones. Everyone inside is issued with discreet devices inserted into the ears to regulate sense of balance while experiencing centrifugal forces. In the habitat module on the professional level the wearing of muscular tension harnesses is recommended to compensate for the low gravity. On the utility level the same attire is compulsory and includes magnetic soles.



Habitat Module Residential Layer

The outer layer or lower level provides simulated gravity similar to that of Mars and has the largest floor area. It is the location of residences and shared recreational spaces. The six shared areas are an ornamental courtyard, a food garden, a kitchen, a dining area, a lounging area and a games space. A central hallway known as the hamster wheel extends the entire circumference of the outer layer and allows inhabitants to promenade as far as they wish. The six common areas are effectively extensions or very large alcoves of this hall. There are three star wells set into the floor allowing views onto outer space. One is set under a shallow pond in the ornamental garden, one into the central dining table, and one into the floor among lounges. Two domestic robots frequent this level and tend the garden, prepare basic meals and provide challenging games of billiards.

This layer has surfaces emulating pale grey stone matched with warm brown timber fixtures (which extend into double-height spaces shared with the professional layer overlooking the three star wells). Handholds are moulded into surfaces in case of artificial gravity loss. The hallway is truly circular but the spaces off it together describe a hexagon and that difference results in the need for a few steps between the hallway and those spaces. Some walls on this and the other two levels slope inward from floor to ceiling (due to the diminishing outer to inner floor area of each level).

There are six clusters each comprising four private bedrooms and one bathroom escape pod (for a total of six bathrooms and twenty-four bedrooms). A short passage in each cluster accesses its five doors. The six bathroom escape pods are marvels of compact technology - most of the time they are simply a shared bathroom for four but in an emergency can eject from the ship - this ensures sleepy occupants quick access. They can put occupants into temporal stasis if too much time passes lost in space.

Each private room contains a bed with wall-inset nooks and under-bed drawers, a desk with communications interface overlooked by display shelf, an auto-robe which can wash and dry the clothes it stores, and a window looking onto the hallway or other shared space which has transparent, opaque, animated pattern and calming landscape settings. The twenty four bedrooms are of almost identical size and similar shape. Officers choose which rooms they occupy (the commander for instance may want to be closer to the elevator and further from the more raucous shared spaces).



Habitat Module Professional Layer

The middle layer or mid-level provides simulated gravity better than Luna and is dedicated to professional and self-development activity. It has a somewhat greater circumference than the centrifuge seen on the spaceship in the ancient documentary 2001 A Space Odyssey with a much wider floor space. It accesses the other two levels and the lander module (the last via command). It allows accesses to both cargo hemispheres even if these are usually only occupied by cargo drones - indeed it extends somewhat into the forward hemisphere. This level includes command centre, sickbay, gym, change room, meeting rooms, offices, class-rooms, workshops and labs.

The command centre comprises a u-shaped reception floor (providing access to both the lander module airlock and professional layer corridors) overlooked by a compact semi-circular command platform. The sickbay includes a tiny medical office. There is a spa that can only be accessed from the gym once those in it have done mandatory scheduled excerize. This level is characterized by white polymer alloy with black silicon interfaces and hexagonal patterning.



Habitat Module Utility Layer

The inner layer or upper level simulates barely any gravity and has by far the smallest floor area. It is the location of life-support and vital ship processes including the central computer. Crew refer to it colloquially as either the attic for its raw utilitarianism or the core for its position within the three-dimensional structure. It extends somewhat into the aft cargo hemisphere to better draw power from and convey commands to the engine. It has a livery of gunmetal grey with polished steel fixtures. This is the only layer to lack a complete ceiling and anyone in its elevator access passage looking away from their feet will see the ladder access passage and anyone also standing in it. There is however sufficient distance between these to prevent occupants bumping heads. In other parts of the layer computer core modules serve effectively as ceiling.



Lander Module

The lander has two levels connected by two sets of steps set into its curving walls. It conforms to the centrifugal design of rest of ship while attached but then abandons this once it detaches. While still attached the crew only use its lower level which includes airlock and spacesuit nooks, auxiliary command and spare multi-purpose rooms. The upper level includes common room with observation windows, bunk and wash rooms, and a garage complete with hover-rover. Rooms in the lander module have the same look of gunmetal grey with polished steel as does the utility layer. The exceptions are auxiliary command, which has the same white and black look as primary command, and the common area, which has the stone grey and brown of the residential layer.

Externally the lander has its own directional thrusters, thermal cladding, electromagnetic deflection net, ion blaster, signals and sensors, airlock and garage doors. Its own computer core is sandwiched between the two floors. The ship can be operated remotely from primary command or vice-versa. The lander can be mounted on the habitat module with an extended connection to its airlock from the professional layer via cargo hemisphere tunnels.



Cargo Hemispheres And Warp Rings

The fore and aft cargo hemispheres house space for cargo units and for the drones that move them. They also house gyroscopes for manoeuvring the ship. There are both external cargo hatches and doorways into the habitat module. The drones from time-to-time will move cargo to and from hemispheres via channels between habitat module levels to ensure a desired mass distribution along the ship. This is important if the lander module is detached. The drones can securely crawl along the hull to make external repairs. Both hemispheres also sport signal transmitter-receivers, gas collectors and exploratory probe launchers (which in an emergency can function as explosive torpedos).

The warp rings use sophisticated design and exotic processes to circumvent the universal speed limit of light. In distorting local space they serve as deflectors and dampners - the same warp zone that surrounds the ship also deflects smaller objects and the excessive forces of a fast-moving vessel. Thus the rings are always run at minimum power while the ship is in open space even if it is only using its conventional plasma drive. One ring would generate a spherical distortion but the ship sports two and thus moves within an ovoid warp zone. The support struts for the rings also sport fore and aft attractor-repulsor emitters.



That was something fun if fiddly that I did during some spare time in recent months. It may be nothing more than it is. However if I ever want a hero ship for some space adventure then I have the floor plans all set to use. More info on floor plans can be seen via the linked images.