StarGoose

The following is by no-means meant to be all encompassing. The following are MRC specific MODIFICATIONS to stats that are preexisting. Note that the following should not be taken as canon. The following is an extrapolation and speculation from canon materials.

STONEWELL SC-27 STAR GOOSE SPACESHUTTLE

BACKGROUND

The SC-27 Star Goose Space Shuttle, designed and manufactured by Stonewell, is the UN Spacy's standard passenger and cargo transportation vehicle. Even in the late 2040s and early 2050s, almost 50 years after its development, the UNS still employs the sturdy workhouse. The design has seen some modifications over the years, however externally, the shuttle largely remains unchanged. One of the features that has remained unchanged and standard throughout the years is the shuttles unique capability of providing emergency armoured cocoons for its passengers. Cocoons that can be ejected and used as emergency escape pods should the vehicle be put into a situation where such drastic measures need to be enacted.
Models manufactured pre-Space War One require a large booster rocket to help them achieve orbit. Models manufactured post-Space War One received engine upgrades that allow the shuttle to perform transatmospheric flights without any external assistance. With the development of the micronized fold booster in the mid-2040s for the detachable Mk I Fold Booster for VFs, the Star Goose underwent another upgrade. In addition to the inclusion of the micronized fold booster, the engines were upgraded with more efficient ones that incorporating the latest technological developments.
The shuttle is based on the delta wing shape, which tends towards high stability at low speeds. This aspect of the shuttle’s design allows for great responsiveness in the heavily loaded aerospace frame during final approach to landing. The landing gear are heavily reinforced and capable of landing on rough terrain. Deployable skies are also sometimes attached to allow the shuttle to land on ice and snow. However, the shuttle cannot land on water – the best that the pilots can hope for is a controlled crash on water. Since the engine intakes are mounted high above the wings on the mid-rear of the aerospace plane, they allow the shuttle to take off from virtually anywhere with little to no fear of having a foreign object sucked into the engine and causing damage. In later models that use thermonuclear engines, some pilots opt to close the intakes and only use reactant during the initial phase of launch from particularly worrisome terrain. Though all models have maneuvering thrusters that essentially allow the Star Goose to hover and make S/VTOL maneuvers in space. The same ability is unavailable in high gravity situations (such as on a planet) due to the engines being designed for forward thrust only.
The durable, reliable, and well-liked Star Goose will likely remain in UNG use for the next 20 to 30 years making it the most successful aerospace frame in the UNG arsenal.

Various star goose and launch booster images

RPG STATS

Vehicle Types:

SC-27 Star Goose (requires a launch vehicle to reach orbit over a planet.)

SC-27 Star Goose II (Enhanced and modernized avionics with thermonuclear engines that allow for transatmospheric flight.)

SC-27 Star Goose III (Modernized avionics and space-fold capable.)

Class: UNS Space Shuttle

Manufacturer: Stonewell

Crew: 2, pilot and co-pilot

Passengers/Cargo: 30 passengers or 38 tons of cargo

MDC BY LOCATION:

(1) Main Body 575

(2) Engines (2) 180 each

Cockpit 100

(3) Wings (2) 180 each

NOTES:

1. Depleting the MDC of the Main Body will destroy the shuttle.
2. Destroying one engine will reduce the flight speed of the shuttle by 50%. Destroying both engines will render the shuttle immobile in space; in an atmosphere the shuttle will have to make an unpowered emergency landing.
3. Destroying one wing will reduce the fuel load by ½. In an atmosphere, the loss of a single wing will negate any flight capabilities the shuttle has and send it into a crash.

STATISTICAL DATA:

LENGTH: 152 ft (46.3 m)

SPEEDS:

Atmospheric: 1450 mph (Mach 2.2), with Mach 5 for short periods to attain orbit(II and III varients only).

Space: 0 Kmph (S/VTOL capable) to Mach 10.

POWER PLANT: The original Star Goose had conventional rocket engines. The upgraded Star Goose models have thermonuclear fusion engines.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

• NONE

STANDARD EQUIPMENT FOR THE SC-27 STAR GOOSE:

1. AUTO-PILOT: The SC-27 Star Goose is equipped with a computerized auto-pilot, allowing the pilots to relax or even sleep during long voyages. The auto-pilot can be programmed with a single destination or a complex flight plan involving multiple speeds, vectors, and destinations. The onboard computer will alert the pilot when the shuttle is nearing its destination, and can also be set to automatically signal when sensors detect objects near the vehicle. The auto-pilot was designed with long journeys in mind.
2. COMBAT COMPUTER': The SC-27 is equipped with a combat computer that can store and analyze data. Data collected by the combat computer can be displayed on the HUD of the cockpit of the vehicle, which allows the system to display large amounts of data to the pilot and even highlight enemies and missile attacks with overlaid graphics. The combat computer tracks and identifies specific enemy targets, and has a database of over 10,000 images stored in memory. The computer can identify and track up to 250 targets simultaneously.
3. EJECTOR SEATS: The reinforced cockpit of the SC-27 and the passenger compartment contains armoured ejector seats that can be ejected when the shuttle is nearing destruction. The ejector seats do not contain thrusters, but do contain powerful locator beacons. The ejector seats are also equipped with parachutes and ballutes in case of ejection in or near an atmosphere. The combat computer is programmed to automatically eject the crew if the shuttle is destroyed (main body MDC reduced to 0), but this can be overridden if the pilot is feeling suicidal for some reason.
4. HEAT AND RADIATION SHIELDS: Special shielding prevents the penetration of life threatening heat and radiation. A radiation detection and alarm system are linked with the shields and will sound an alarm if there is a is a breach in the shields and what the levels of radiation are.
5. HOMING SIGNAL: The ejector seats of the SC-27 are equipped with a homing device that enables rescue teams to locate a disabled craft or ejected life pod. The range of the signal is 400 miles (640 km). Most UN Spacy ships and variable fighters can locate and track homing signals, and the onboard computers will automatically notify their pilots if such a signal is detected.
6. RADAR: 642 km range.
7. RADIO/VIDEO COMMUNICATION: Long range, directional communications system with satellite relay capabilities. Range: 960 km in an atmosphere, or 1920 Km in space, or can be boosted indefinitely via satellite relay.
8. STANDARD SURVIVAL KITS: All UNS vehicles come equipped with portable survival kits. Inside the small reinforced box is a medium-sized flashlight, two hand flares, one rocket flare, a universal direction finder, infrared distancing binoculars, a small mirror, a pocket knife, dehydrated and concentrated food (can be stretched into a five day supply for one person) and basic first aid items (aspirin, bandages, disinfectants, etc..)
9. TACTICAL LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM: The SC-27 cockpit is pressurized, and also provides additional air feeds to the crew's flight suit that provides him with pressurized breathing. The UN Spacy flight suit also contains an upper and lower g-suit that promotes blood circulation even during high-g turns, thus decreasing the possibility of pilot's blacking out in combat.

REFERENCES USED IN THIS DESIGN

Macross TV Series

"Doe's All The Worlds' Mecha Guide: Stonewell SC-27 Star Goose Space Shuttle

Palladium Books: Robotech – the RPG

The above stats are a modifications from the SC-27 Star Goose Stats