RUNNING STARSHIP OPERATIONS
Whether a sailing ship, a commercial vessel in our modern era, or a futuristic starship, these complex vehicles require specialized skills and teamwork to successfully operate.
☐ PREFLIGHT: MISSION
Mission-specific goals drive most preparation work needed before launch.
What is the mission plan?
Employers or Adventurers arrange contracts, vehicle, crew, supplies, cargo, or passengers.
Once a contract is agreed, the clock starts ticking which makes efficient preflight loading and checks crucial to a successful voyage.
How do the Adventurers plan to pull off the voyage?
The Adventurers must arrange the following if they want the most freedom to move and pursue their goals:
☐ PREFLIGHT: VEHICLE
What kind of vehicles fit mission requirements?
What kind of vehicle do the Adventurers plan for?
Provided by an employer?
Hired by the Adventurers?
Rented and operated by the Adventurers?
Purchased and operated by the Adventurers?
☐ PREFLIGHT: FACILITIES
Every space vehicle requires maintenance and resupply.
Which yard built the vehicle?
Does the current port have the capability or capacity to service the vehicle?
Which flag or nationality registered the vessel?
Does this nationality or flag conflict with the current port of call politically?
Which planet, moon, or station does the ship and crew call “home port” ?
☐ PREFLIGHT: CREW
Depending on the purpose of the voyage, a number of specialized crew positions may need to be filled and pay agreed:
- Owner or Owner's Agent
- Captain (may be Owner or Owner's Agent)
- Administration / Purser
- Pilot
- Copilot
- Navigator
- Sensor Operators
- Communications Operators
- Engineers
- Computer Operators
- Electronics
- Medics, Doctors, or Surgeons
- Stewards
- Security
- Cargo Handlers
- Brokers
- Traders
- Gunners
- Marines
- Tactical Operators
☐ PREFLIGHT: CONSUMABLES
Every space vehicle requires a long list of specialized consumable items to successfully fly such as fuel, atmosphere mix, water, food, and spare parts.
Can the current port refuel and resupply the vehicle for the task?
Where will the Adventurers get these, as needed?
☐ LAUNCH
Initial boost typically stresses vehicle and cargo loading, leading to potential complications for the voyage.
☐ CRUISE
The cruise duration of many voyages provides increasing chances something goes wrong requiring constant watchfulness and quick handling.
☐ ARRIVAL AND OFFLOADING
The final stage of the voyage, often coming down to the wire of the agreed delivery time, involves deceleration, docking, and offloading.
All three of these activities each carry their own risks of complications which can endanger the success of the voyage.
☐ PORTSIDE
The crew earns their reward such as pay and bonuses which they may use to get into all manner of predicament while portside.
Crew Activities
During each phase of the voyage, each of the crew positions have a number of tasks they may be called to perform successfully:
☐ COMMAND / ADMINISTRATION
- System Cross Checks
- Warning Light Event
- Decision-making
- Negotiations
- Orders
- Diplomacy
☐ ENGINEERING
- System Cross Checks
- Warning Light Event
- Repair
- Maintenance
- Refit
- Refueling
- Power
- Propulsion
- Optimize engines for course
- Annual Maintenance
- Wilderness Refueling
☐ PILOTING
- System Cross Checks
- Warning Light Event
- Takeoff
- Undocking
- Closely pilot course
- Docking
- Landing
- Annual Maintenance
☐ NAVIGATION
- System Cross Checks
- Warning Light Event
- Course
- Compute Travel Time
- Estimate Time
- Ground to Orbit
- World to World
- Plot Course
- Launch
- Re-entry
- Orbital Transfer
- Interplanetary
- Annual Maintenance
☐ SENSOR OPERATIONS
- System Cross Checks
- Warning Light Event
- Computers
- Communications
- Transponder
- Flight Recorder
- Internal Security
- Configure Doors and Hatches
- Annual Maintenance
☐ CREW / CARGO / PASSENGER OPERATIONS
- System Cross Checks
- Warning Light Event
- Life Support
- Medical
- Resupply
- External Security
- Cycling Airlocks
- Decontamination
- Cargo Loading
- Cargo Unloading
- Passenger Loading
- Passenger Unloading
- Annual Maintenance
☐ WEAPONS / SCREEN OPERATIONS
- System Cross Checks
- Warning Light Event
- Fire Control
- Loading and Reloading
- Annual Maintenance
- Refit