Zodiac class

Research / Safari Ship

The Zodiac class Research/Safari ship is built to the specifications of the University of Mora, and is the lastest design to be used on their field research missions.  The first example, Parsons Project, entered service on 133-1114.  The class is constructed at the Ling Standard Products yards on Mora. The missile launcher is intended to launch scientific probes, and therefore has no magazine attached, and has no gunner assigned to it -- it can be fired from the bridge, but normally would be operated by scientific staff.  The laser battery is intended for cutting and clearing work rather than combat.

There are four stations on the bridge -- Command, Sensor Operator, and Gunner... and the Pilot and Navigator share one station since they are usually combined into one crew position.  The ship is designed so it can be operated entirely from the bridge, keeping the rest of the ship clear for scientific staff -- the crew quarters and engineering are readily accessible without going through the remainder of the ship.  The ship is well automated, and can fairly easily be operated by a cadre crew of just three.

The two vehicle bays likewise are segregated, although both are easy to access from either section.  One contains two standard 4t air/rafts, while the other contains a GCarrier equipped for scientific missions.

In addition to the 2G thrusters, the ship is also equipped with a 2G contra-grav unit, so that the ship can be used in high-gravity environments without any special operating requirements.

The 10 laboratories, 10 of the 18 large staterooms (comprising most of the scientific station), and a 42t cargo bay are built as a single modular unit.  The unit can be exchanged under the supervison of a starship engineer at high-quality starport facilities.  This enables the ship to be set up for alternate scientific mission configurations in just a few hours by swapping out already fully-equipped modules.  In practice, of course, these modules are of limited availability, as the Zodiac class is not widespread through the Marches; UoM and Plankwell U. both keep a stock of modules in various configurations, and NOW!!! Safaris, LIC, makes use of this features to provide several configurations to suit different charter roles.

Six Zodiacs were in the first production run in 1114, and under a standing contract three ships per year have been produced since.  The majority of these are attached to the University of Mora, but a few of them are operating from Plankwell University on Rhylanor -- including the Henry Cow, assigned to the undergraduate Ecology Department.  Two have been bought for the Imperial Research Station Gamma on Vanajen / Rhylanor, two for Imperial Research Station Epsilon on Vreibefger / Lanth, and two are in private service; one ship has been lost (*).  Typically the production run is sold a year in advance of actual construction.

(*) Third Eye (#6) vanished, presumed destroyed as a result of solar flares in a backwater Foreven system on or about 060-1121.  The ship was lost with all hands.  The owner, Marquis Marcus Crestworthy of Pallique, was not on board at the time; he has ordered a replacement (#29) from the 1122 production run.

Zodiac class

Research / Safari Ship (ns SSDS)

Tons: 600 std ( AF Dome/Disc )  Volume: 8400 m^3 Cost: 394.4 MCr ( 354.96 MCr )
Crew: 5/18( /HighAuto ) Passengers High/Medium: 0/0 Passengers Low: 0 ( /Emerg:20 )
Cargo: 92 std Controls: Survey Std ( /Bridge ) Tech Level: 15
     
8 Size Rating 3 Jump Drive ( 60 std/pc fuel )
  2 Maneuver ( Thruster, 300 Mw )
  2 Power Plant Rating ( 1x500Mw )
  184 Fuel ( /Scoop:5 /Refine:14.72 )
  0 Sandcaster 
1xPD Laser Battery (+6) 1/3-2-1-0 0 Nuclear Damper
  0 Meson Screen
  0 Black Globe
1xMissile Cell (+6) 5/6 A10 P4 J0 Sensors 
 w/ 5 Guided DetLaser 1d6/2 6G12 10 Armor, 12 Structure
     
1xEngineering Shop ( 6 std ) 1xMachine Shop ( 10 std ) 10xLaboratories ( 8 std ea. )
1xSick Bay ( 8 std )    
  2xVehicle Bays ( 8 std craft )  
     
Crew Details: 1 cmd, 2 mvr, 2 elc, 1 gun, 0 scr, 0 eng, 0 mtn, 0 crf, 0 trp, 10 sci, 1 stw, 0 brk, 1 med

Ship Registry

# Entered 
Service		 Name Owner Port of Registry
1 133-1114 Parsons Project University of Mora Mora / Mora
2 241-1114 Hillage University of Mora Mora / Mora
3 241-1114 Androids of Mu University of Mora Mora / Mora
4 241-1114 Uriah Heep University of Mora Mora / Mora
5 241-1114 Greenslade University of Mora Mora / Mora
6 361-1114
(lost 060-1121) 		Third Eye Marquis Marcus Crestworthy Adabicci / Lunion
7 203-1115 Spinal Tap Plankwell University Rhylanor / Rhylanor
8 203-1115 Hawkwind University of Mora Mora / Mora
9 203-1115 Mighty Baby University of Mora Mora / Mora
10 203-1116 Camel University of Mora Mora / Mora
11 203-1116 Zodiac One Imperial Government (RsG) Vanajen / Rhylanor
12 203-1116 Cockney Rebel University of Mora Mora / Mora
13 203-1117 Here & Now University of Mora Mora / Mora
14 203-1117 Amon Duul University of Mora Mora / Mora
15 203-1117 Henry Cow Plankwell University Rhylanor / Rhylanor
16 203-1118 Zodiac Two Imperial Government (RsG) Vanajen / Rhylanor
17 203-1118 New York Gong University of Mora Mora / Mora
18 203-1118 Palomino  Sir Geoffrey of Adabicci Adabicci / Lunion
19 203-1119 Dundee NOW!!! Safaris, LIC Trane / Glisten
20 203-1119 Grobschnitt University of Mora Mora / Mora
21 203-1119 Crimson King Plankwell University Rhylanor / Rhylanor
22 203-1120 Zodiac Three Imperial Government (RsE) Vreibefger / Lanth
23 203-1120 Caravan University of Mora Mora / Mora
24 203-1120 Ventura NOW!!! Safaris, LIC Trane / Glisten
25 203-1121 Zodiac Four Imperial Government (RsE) Vreibefger / Lanth
26 203-1121 Republica University of Mora Mora / Mora
27 203-1121 Jack of Shadows Sir Elyot van Suulinkii Karin / Five Sisters
28
 due 1122
 Indiana
 NOW!!! Safaris, LIC
 Trane / Glisten
29
 due 1122
 Witch-hunter
 		Marquis Marcus Crestworthy
 Adabicci / Lunion
30
 due 1122
 Hatfield
 The Duke of Adabicci
 Adabicci / Lunion