Energia Orbital Tug

The Energia is a spacecraft designed to move larger vessels and structures in space. It is used in orbital construction as well as in aiding larger ships in docking and interplanetary travel.
Energia orbital tugs play a crucial role in interstellar travel. Interstellar spacecraft such as the Taurus Class do not have orbital manouvering thrusters, and the Medusa Drive is not precise enough for this purpose, nor is it deemed safe for use in proximity to other vessels. For this reason, when an interstellar spacecraft enters a system, orbital tugs dock to it and slow it down into its parking orbit. Similarly, orbital tugs accelerate the vessel to escape velocity upon departure.

Power Generation

The Energia gets its energy from a small nuclear reactor. A radioisotope thermoelectric generator provides emergency power.

Propulsion

The Energia has two seperate propulsion systems. Ion thrusters powered by the nuclear reactor provide orbital manouvering for the tug on its own. When moving a larger vessel, the Energia fires its large chemical engine for a short time of high peak thrust.
The Energia has powerful reaction control thrusters for docking as well as for moving objects around an orbital construction site.

Communication Tools & Systems

The Energia has a standard array of interplanetary and short range communication systems. Several tugs can link their controls over radio, to work in unison when moving a larger object.

Sensors

The orbital tug has cutting edge navigational equipment to enable rendezvous with spacecraft in high orbits far away from the next star, as well as powerful and precise doppler radar for the final approach.

Hangars & docked vessels

The Energia can be fitted with a variety of docking systems, depending on which vessel it is moving. Also available are claws for attaching to objects of arbitrary shape when aiding in orbital construction.

Length

36 m

Complement / Crew

6