Consolidated Astronautics Starmaster-class courier was designed to transport cargoes to frontier worlds where regular interface transport might not be readily available. The spaceplane's thrusters, generous wing area and auxiliary turbojet engines enable it to operate from the short runways often encountered on recently-colonized worlds. Unlike other courier designs, the Starmaster-class carriers its cargo in a detachable, torpedo-shaped payload module (not pictured) mounted in a trough on the spaceplane's upper hull surface. This reduces the overall length of the vessel while at the same time maximizing payload capacity. Although individual staterooms are provided for the crew, no spin habitat is installed and no provisions have been made for carrying passengers.  About 50 Starmaster-class Couriers were produced by the time production of the vessel ended in 2268. Though now obsolete by most standards, the courier's attributes have made it popular among independent shippers on in-system runs. One such example, the Mambo, is pictured above. Passengers: None. Crew: Bridge: 10; Engineering: 3. PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS NOTE: The above stats were NOT generated using the 2300AD Naval Architects Manual. If you disagree with these stats, then please feel free to change them to suit your needs. All photographs of the Starmaster-class Cargo Courier model featured on this page were taken by Free Trader using a Nikon F2 Photomic SLR in natural outdoor light. The 1/200 scale model is actually the booster vehicle of a 1950s Monogram Space Shuttle which was modified and "contemporized". |