In-System Traveller

This is a concept of a ship designed to traverse the solar system, delivering and retrieving personnel and materials from the various colonies within our cluster of worlds.

It is based on the old Project Orion Nuclear rocket (I believe) that uses a nuclear pulse engine to get man to another star system. Of course the idea cannot really work because of the extreme range of distance to another system, and the fear of time and getting there – after all, we can find planets, the ability to live on them is something else.

So I redesigned the ship as an in system transport. Its powered by a combination of nuclear energy with a massive grid of high powered Ion drives to cruise it through the system. The bell at the back protects the ship from its own radiation. Lead lined materials are used to protect the ship as best as possible from cosmic radiation.

The ship is made up of four sections – the engine unit with jettison capable/swap out fuel tanks, the large transport grid, the sealed transport bays, and the crew section.

The large transport grid is for massive transports and non-re-entry capable modules – think large lunar modules or cargo pods.

The sealed transport bays are for launching atmospheric craft. The bays protect them from cosmic forces so that their structural integrity is not compromised. The bays can take a variety of shuttles.

The crew section is here where passengers relax, stretch themselves and so forth.

This pic took me two plus years to do – mainly because I had no idea how to finish it.

The backdrop was inspired by with a pic of a ship in orbit around Saturn.

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Let me know what you think – comments most welcome.

Enjoy!