Build:Space Station Auxiliary Spacecraft Systems
11.7 Auxiliary Spacecraft Systems
Obviously, most space stations have shuttlebays, just as many starships do. However, one aspect of their immobile mission involves visitation by starships, spaceships, and shuttlecraft. For the larger visitors, a shuttlebay will not be acceptable as a means of arrival and, more often than not, transporters are not the most efficient means of material loading.
11.7.1 Docking Ports
Cost: 0.25 x Rating (maximum Size of received ship), rounded up to the next higher whole number
Power Requirement: Docking ports require no power to operate but can transfer power to the docked ship to a maximum of 10 x the rating of the port.
A docking port consists of an airlock and docking clamps. It allows large ships to dock at starbases without needing large docking bays or the use of transporters. Docking ports are rated for the maximum size of ship they can handle. For example, a port rated 5 could dock any ship up to Size 5 and would require 2 SUs.
11.7.2 Open Frame Docks
Cost: 1 x rating (maximum Size of received ship)
Power Requirement: None, but should be able to supply power to the docked ship as per docking ports. On dedicated construction facilities, the dock may be required to supply power to test all of a ship’s systems.
An open frame dock is used for construction and repair of starships and spaceships. It can also be contained within a spacedock, if the station is so equipped, but must be at least 2 sizes less than that of the spacedock.
11.7.3 Spacedocks
Cost: 2 x rating (maximum Size of received ship)
Power Requirement: None
Spacedocks are, essentially, large, unpressurized shuttlebays intended to accept the bulk of a starship or spaceship within the space station itself. They can be used for construction and repair of ships, or simply to provide a means of storing a ship within a protected structure, such as when a majority of the crew can be expected to depart the vessel (maybe for liberty or extreme maintenance periods). The largest known example in the Alpha Quadrant remains that of the UFP's own current Spacedock series of starbases, but larger versions are sure to exist. Another option is to include more than one spacedock within a station, basically separating the bays with the station's own bulk mass.
As with the Open Frame Docks, the SU Cost does not reflect the actual station mass-equivalent of the space within, but the superstructure requirements necessary to support such a large space.
11.7.4 Spacedock Control Room
Cost: 40
Power Requirement: None
The management of an internal docking bay large enough to contain starships requires a great deal of resources, solely to ensure the safety of the space station, its internal "guests" and the crews of all concerned. For this reason, each station must build a large enough control center to monitor, control and administer to all traffic within and transiting through the spacedock. Only one such control room is necessary per station, as it can monitor all spacedocks built into the station.