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Today the UCS Irandis, a long range interstellar tug. Inspired by the MV Blue Marlin, the ship is used for transporting other vessels across large interstellar distances. Jobs would include transporting half completed hulls from one shipyard to another, or recovering battle-damaged ships that can't propel themselves any more.

One of the few ships that are "variable geometry", with the twin hulls able to ratchet out from the center to allow larger ships to be towed.

Are those couples inside the arms magnetic, or locally gravitic, or somesuch? Also, how is that pivot point reinforced?

Mikey wrote:Are those couples inside the arms magnetic, or locally gravitic, or somesuch? Also, how is that pivot point reinforced?

I go back and forth on the coupling mechanism. For now they're just generic tractor beam style emitters, but I'm toying with the idea of making them some kind of superstrong cable filament gun, with a head that attaches to the target. Not unlike the NX-01's system.

Which pivot point do you mean?

Graham Kennedy wrote:Which pivot point do you mean?

On the crosspiece that traverses between and connects the two hulls, there is a built-up piece that I'm guessing is the fulcrum for the variable geometry of the "arms" as you mentioned. Is there some IU super-science reason for the strength of that joint, or is it just simply built right to handle the stress it undergoes?

Ah, no. The built up piece is a hull that contains the living quarters for the crew. The arms themselves slide in and out of the central bar driven by motors mounted on the bar - that's what the housings on either end of that central bar are, the motors that push the hull out.

Got it!