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Mark Twain-class Space Gambling Vessel (SGV)

Names and Disposition:

(NNS = Newport News Shipyard)

Ships' Complement:

• Ships' Crew (100 men)
• Civilians (1,100 men)
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 4,800 supernumeraries (5,000 men total).

Note: The given numbers are approximations; the exact number of personnel varied somewhat due to operational realities and different ships.

Dimensions:

• Length: 300 meters overall
• Height: 75 meters overall
• Width: 80 meters overall
• Fuel Mass: 50,000 metric tons
• Operational mass (typical): 320,000 metric tons without Nile-class Carrier

Propulsion Systems:

• Main power system: RRD Mk 11 anti-matter-fueled Reflex furnace. The powerplant can deliver up to 450 Terawatts of power, and can operate for ten hours minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering thrusters (8): Overtechnology MRT-05 fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters with steerable nozzles mounted across the hull of the ship.
• Reaction-mass thrusters (2): Rolls Royce MRE-14 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with anti-matter energizer mounted in the engine block of the ship.
• Anti-gravity system: 10 Shizuma Drive Hercules anti-gravity pods.
• Sublight Drive drive (2): Shizuma Drive GDD-6 local monopolar-induced gravitic space-time distortion drive.
• Space fold (1): RRD Mk16b spacefold. This system is conformal to the vessels surface. The problem with the vast majority of the previous generation of fold systems was that the fold bubble weakened the state of the structure to the extent that they needed a refit after only five years of service. As such the RDF mandated the use of conformal systems similar to the old Zentraedi systems which also allows for much higher speeds.  The Mk16b was created by placing two Mk16 fold drives in tandem to increase the foldable mass.
• Planetary capabilities: The Mark Twain-class has atmospheric capabilities through its reaction thrusters and anti-gravity system. However, the ship cannot land on solid ground due to the design of the hull without serious damage. A water landing is possible however.

Endurance and Mobility Limits:

• The dry stores endurance is limited to only two months with a full crew complement. The extensive recycling installations ensured that only incidental biomass losses needed to be replenished. Water stores were recycled almost completely. The ship however needs to be constantly supplied foodstuffs and usually is by one of the many colony ships that accompany a colony fleet such as the Sunflower-class.
• At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 30 Giganewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as .55 Giganewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.
• At full power, the Mark Twain-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 261 kps at the cruising acceleration of 0.1 gees, a maximum delta-v of 52.2 kps at the battle acceleration of 1.0 gees, and a delta-v of at most 14.1 kps at the flank acceleration of 2.0 gees. At lower power levels, these ranges are commensurately smaller.
• Sublight drive acceleration is 1500 g, but the vessel's maneuverability is reduced to such a degree that only minor course corrections are possible. Typical cruising speed is .30 c.
• The fold systems are not navigationally guaranteed for any single jump beyond 5 kiloparsecs. If longer voyages are required, the ships must conduct multiple fold jumps.
• The maximum sustained atmospheric speed is limited to sub-sonic speeds. A higher speed could be attained while accelerating to orbit, or in emergencies, but this stressed the engines to above their sustainable heat tolerances. The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems was limited only by maintenance requirements.

Weapon Systems:

Circa 2063

• Bofors PL-7 point defense turrets (10): Mounted behind movable panels in the top of the main body (10). These standard RDF weapons can fire 53 MJ of particle energy four times per second at a range of up to 20 km.

Electronics Systems:

• Hughes DSP-6 pinpoint barrier defense system(1): Uses four movable disks of force field, conformal to the ship's surface, to repel light torpedo attacks, or particle beam fire.

Air group and mecha complement:

• None, although several mecha can be held in the landing bay, they are not usually military in usually military in nature.

Design Notes:

History:

Layout adapted from Robotech Reference Guide

Content by Jeffrey R. Spillner
Copyright © 1998-2002 Jeffrey R. Spillner

Page Last Updated on January 21, 2002 @ 14:00 GMT