Chelonia-class Bulk Freighter
The Chelonia-class bulk freighter was surrounded by a great deal of controversy when it was first unveiled. Not only is it the only spacecraft larger than a corvette to be capable of atmospheric landing, but certain design elements were so close in principle to the Cicada-class dropship, that production had to halt while Groush & Balg Tribals was forced to contend with Astrojinx's patent attorneys.
Some of those features include the open frame for underslung cargo containers, articulated engine pods, and the designer, a halfling who had recently left Astrojinx to work for Groush & Balg.
While the Chelonia has become the standard for mass transport, any planetary landing platforms designed for them is often set at least 20 kilometers from the nearest building, since its engines are very loud, and there have been incidents where cargo containers prematurely detach and crash into the surface below.
Class: Chelonia
Size Rating: Frigate
Manufacturer: Groush & Balg Tribals
Dimensions: 300m
Impulse: 2
Maneuvering: 2
Range: 6
Hull Stress: 3
Heat: 6
Fuel: 8
The Chelonia has quite limited deck space, having the mojority of its volume in its bulk exterior hold. Its top three decks are its widest, spanning the width of its dorsal frame and house the command facilities and crew ammenities. They connect with three lifts on the port and starboard wings which extend to the ventral frame and provide access to the various corridors that run the length of the wings. These corridors are a combination of packed crew bunks and maintenance access. The port and starboard engine mounts also hold four decks used mostly for sensor, navigation, and other operations facilities.
The Chelonia's external hold is designed to hold up to 32 mega-containers, which are each capable of holding up to 48 standard cargo containers, allowing it a total of 165,000 cubic meters of storage suspended in shock-resistant frameworks.
When acceleration damage is not a problem for cargo, the Chelonia can haul and even greater volume with a total in excess of 800,000 cubic meters of cargo.
