Starport

Establishment for the landing, servicing, refueling, and control of interstellar and interplanetary vessels of all sort.  A starport is also used for the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers.  Starports range in quality from A (the best and most extensive) to E (the worst, little more than a spot of cleared ground).

Starports generally have two components: a surface facility and an orbital facility. The surface facility includes cargo handling installations, a landing field, control towers, and other necessary areas. Surface starport components are frequently called Down (as in Credo Down Starport on Regina). Orbital facilities are present (usually in stationary orbit above the surface component) to enable handling of unstreamlined ships and to allow construction of heavy craft in orbit. The orbital component is often called Orbital (as in Credo Orbital Starport), or High Port.

Type D and E starports have no extensive orbital facilities, but they usually have navigational satellites or similar equipment. Nonstreamlined ships at these starports must be serviced by shuttles. Starports, being the primary point at which starships interact with a system, are usually the location for shipyards and additional bases, such as scout bases, naval bases or other military installations.

-IE ld
-PM bd