Ships of the Convention - The Star Hauler
Star Hauler Class Independent Freighter
Designed and owned by S.D.A.Op (ship design and operation) consortium
Principal Construction Lead: Cavirza Yards
The Star Hauler began life as a commission from a group of minor powers operating under the Fairport Convention for an Independent freighter, with medium range. The aim was to create a class of vessels to conduct trade penetration missions into new market areas, but also to support regular shipping in areas of sparser planetary density, as well as ‘tramp steamer’ operation (ad hoc cargo commissions between worlds not necessarily on set routes). This called for a ship with a balance more to range than maximising cargo capacity, and an eye to periods of time spent operating independently. The commission was won by a design consortium (S.D.A.Op) led by the Cavirza Shipyards (Umbar, co-ord 0916) and the result was the Star Hauler - a vessel built with robustness, and an cargo ship with some features more common to expeditionary craft.
The vessel, in it’s original pattern (later designated as the ‘Trade Mission’ configuration), had a jump three range, reasonable manoeuvrability, a full compliment of weaponry, some defensive, and some offensive, as well as fuel scoops and two ship’s launches. Although component suppliers varied the key elements of the initial configuration were all sourced from major industrial concerned, all part of S.D.A.Op. The Cavirza Yards themselves co-ordinated the consortium, acted as the principal site for construction, and brought to bare their well known specialism in robust hull construction. Other major consortium stakeholders included IE (Interstellar Electromatics) and their subsidiary Vanguard Avionics, who provided computing, control, and automation, New Nova Corp providing power systems and manoeuvre drives, and Granovox leading on jump technology.
Although initial sales of the Star Hauler met initial exceptions, the need to meet a break even production target led to further changes to the ships design. It became rapidly apparent that this vessel would be expensive to operate, and so varying automation options were introduced late in the design stage, in a bid to reduce required crew numbers and cut long term operating costs, alongside scrapping the planned sign of a bespoke ship’s boat in favour of utilising standard small craft. Even once in operation, some operators rapidly replaced the jump 3 engines with jump 2, or even 1, with a consequent reduction of fuel, resulting in the ‘Light Lifter’ and ‘Space Lane’ configurations. General configuration coding centred around jump drive and internal fuel tankage, with other variations considered minor. Other optionality included LHyd tanks, additional automation, and complete removal of small craft. A star liner variant was considered, but never entered production - the essential nature of the vessel being a ‘freighter’, and modification required to turn it to passenger service being considered too significant to be economically viable.
At the heart of the many variations was the flawed initial concept - inspired by a brief moment in time, and quickly superseded. The rapid spread of bulk carriers as the Scott’s Guild became predominant within central Convention worlds, and a change in trade penetration tactics (selling finished good to local traders, rather than attempting to force trade directly into a target market) essentially made the Trade Mission configuration largely redundant in a crowded market. However, the resilience of the basic hull, and efforts to simplify systems to reduce maintenance costs, meant that later versions of the vessel (and many older examples covered to other configurations) stayed in service in varying capacities long after production dwindled to a halt. The solidity of the space frame has leant the vessel to many non-standard conversions (hospital vessel, troop carrier, orbital ordinance platform, research vessel, rescue and recovery, fuel tender, mining re-supply and support), and many such ships stay in service, particular with more distant non-convention worlds.
Designed and owned by S.D.A.Op (ship design and operation) consortium
Principal Construction Lead: Cavirza Yards
The Star Hauler began life as a commission from a group of minor powers operating under the Fairport Convention for an Independent freighter, with medium range. The aim was to create a class of vessels to conduct trade penetration missions into new market areas, but also to support regular shipping in areas of sparser planetary density, as well as ‘tramp steamer’ operation (ad hoc cargo commissions between worlds not necessarily on set routes). This called for a ship with a balance more to range than maximising cargo capacity, and an eye to periods of time spent operating independently. The commission was won by a design consortium (S.D.A.Op) led by the Cavirza Shipyards (Umbar, co-ord 0916) and the result was the Star Hauler - a vessel built with robustness, and an cargo ship with some features more common to expeditionary craft.
The vessel, in it’s original pattern (later designated as the ‘Trade Mission’ configuration), had a jump three range, reasonable manoeuvrability, a full compliment of weaponry, some defensive, and some offensive, as well as fuel scoops and two ship’s launches. Although component suppliers varied the key elements of the initial configuration were all sourced from major industrial concerned, all part of S.D.A.Op. The Cavirza Yards themselves co-ordinated the consortium, acted as the principal site for construction, and brought to bare their well known specialism in robust hull construction. Other major consortium stakeholders included IE (Interstellar Electromatics) and their subsidiary Vanguard Avionics, who provided computing, control, and automation, New Nova Corp providing power systems and manoeuvre drives, and Granovox leading on jump technology.
Although initial sales of the Star Hauler met initial exceptions, the need to meet a break even production target led to further changes to the ships design. It became rapidly apparent that this vessel would be expensive to operate, and so varying automation options were introduced late in the design stage, in a bid to reduce required crew numbers and cut long term operating costs, alongside scrapping the planned sign of a bespoke ship’s boat in favour of utilising standard small craft. Even once in operation, some operators rapidly replaced the jump 3 engines with jump 2, or even 1, with a consequent reduction of fuel, resulting in the ‘Light Lifter’ and ‘Space Lane’ configurations. General configuration coding centred around jump drive and internal fuel tankage, with other variations considered minor. Other optionality included LHyd tanks, additional automation, and complete removal of small craft. A star liner variant was considered, but never entered production - the essential nature of the vessel being a ‘freighter’, and modification required to turn it to passenger service being considered too significant to be economically viable.
At the heart of the many variations was the flawed initial concept - inspired by a brief moment in time, and quickly superseded. The rapid spread of bulk carriers as the Scott’s Guild became predominant within central Convention worlds, and a change in trade penetration tactics (selling finished good to local traders, rather than attempting to force trade directly into a target market) essentially made the Trade Mission configuration largely redundant in a crowded market. However, the resilience of the basic hull, and efforts to simplify systems to reduce maintenance costs, meant that later versions of the vessel (and many older examples covered to other configurations) stayed in service in varying capacities long after production dwindled to a halt. The solidity of the space frame has leant the vessel to many non-standard conversions (hospital vessel, troop carrier, orbital ordinance platform, research vessel, rescue and recovery, fuel tender, mining re-supply and support), and many such ships stay in service, particular with more distant non-convention worlds.
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