Magellan (JumpShip class)
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- This article is about the JumpShip class. For other uses, see Magellan (disambiguation).
| |
| Magellan Class JumpShip | |
|---|---|
| Production information | |
| Manufacturer | O'Neil Yards |
| Use | Exploration |
| Tech Base | Star League |
| Cost | (not made available) |
| Introduced | 2960 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Mass | 175,000 tons |
| Length | 590 meters |
| Sail Diameter | meters |
| Fuel | 1,200 tons (6,000) |
| Burn Rate | 19.75 |
| Top Thrust | 0.1 Gs |
| Sail Integrity | 4 |
| KF Drive Integrity | 4 |
| LF Battery | Yes |
| Armament | 4 ER Large Lasers, 4 Large Pulse Lasers, 12 Anti-Missile Systems, 2 LRM-20 with Artemis IV FCS |
| Armor | 75 tons |
| DropShip Capacity | 1 |
| Crew | 20 crew |
| Grav Decks | None |
| Escape Pods/Life Boats | 8 Life Boats |
| Heat Sinks | 110 |
| Structural Integrity | 1 |
| BV (1.0) | 2,813[1] |
| BV (2.0) | ??? |
Contents
Description
Produced primarily for ComStar at the O'Neil Yards in the Terran system, the Magellan-class was commissioned by Primus Adrienne Sims for the Explorer Corps, becoming a mainstay of the ComStar JumpShip fleet thanks to its impressive capacity for long-range missions.[2] [3] [4]
Featuring massive fuel tanks for its size, the Magellan can operate for more than 600 days and travel an unprecedented 1200 light years before refueling. However, the lack of a Grav Deck means that gravity must be generated through acceleration, forcing Magellan captains to strike a careful balance between maintaining crew health and the need to conserve fuel. The vessel's cargo hold can hold around 400 tons of food and supplies for crew and passengers. For its role as an explorer, the Magellan is equipped with an advanced medical facility complete with operating theater and isolation ward, containing technology not seen in the Inner Sphere since the fall of the Star League.[2][3]
The Magellan is also notable as one of the few JumpShips manufactured with a Lithium-Fusion Battery as standard. Per standard Explorer Corps policy the Magellan generally reserves its second charge for an "escape jump" in case of arrival in hostile space.[2][3][4]
Like many ComStar vessels, the Magellan-class carries a sophisticated mobile Hyperpulse Generator allowing it to send messages across a distance of up to 50 light years. (Even in the periphery, this could allow the ship to relay messages via the automated facilities of the Explorer Corps DRUM network.) ComStar meant to protect their technological secrets at all costs, and at least until the dissemination of HPG technology following the failure of Operation SCORPION in 3052, ComStar's First Circuit considered the loss of a Magellan and its crew preferable over it falling into non-ComStar hands.[2][3][4]
Armament
The unassuming Magellan is in fact one of the most heavily armed and armored civilian JumpShip classes. One ER Large Laser and one Large Pulse Laser each cover the forward and aft firing arc on either side. The bow and stern each mount one LRM-20 launcher slaved to an Artemis IV fire control system. In addition, there are two anti-missile systems in each firing arc. 24 tons of anti-missile ammunition and 4 tons of long range missiles are provided. Even with all this hardware, the Magellan, like all JumpShips, is not a combat vessel and cannot stand up to a prolonged engagement. [2] [3]
Cargo
Designed with long-range exploration in mind, the Magellan received generous amounts of fuel. It is not used for mercantile pursuits, and its 434 tons of cargo space are used to store food, supplies and spare parts for extended missions.[2] [3]
Besides its crew of 20, the vessel accommodates a platoon of marines or explorers in 28 well-equipped staterooms.[2] [3]
Variants
Magellan MkII - There is one Dark Age era image captioned as a Magellan MkII JumpShip (misspelled as "Mageallon MkII JumpShip" in earlier editions)[5] with the Spirit Cats' crest emblazoned on its deployed jump sail. It differs from the classic Magellan in that the jump sail array features six (instead of only four) lines and the jump sail has a distinctly different shape, being perfectly round. Three spheroid shapes are attached to the JumpShip's section marked "grav deck" while a fourth, identical shape is shown as a spacecraft moving away under thrust from what is marked as "docking collar"; the visible arrangement of the shapes suggest a ring of altogether six. It has been officially confirmed[6] that "Mageallon" is a misspelling for Magellan, that no distinct Magellan Mk II class exists, and that it is therefore (paraphrased) a reasonable speculation to assume the Magellan Mk II is a variant of the Magellan, and not an entirely new class unto its own.
Based on the assertion that the Mk II is a mere variant, it stands to reason that the ship depicted has the same tonnage and dimensions as a regular Magellan. This in turn means it cannot have more than four hardpoints (docking collars). The descriptive text marks only a single hardpoint while marking four of the six jump sail arrays, suggesting there are no more hardpoints. The spheroid vessels do not clearly resemble a particular type of spheroid DropShip. They could be K-1 class DropShuttles which are notably capable of docking with hardpoints as well as to Small Craft Bays. This in turn seems to suggest the Magellan Mk II features one hardpoint plus at least five small craft bays which together form the ring of DropShuttles shown (suggesting at least four extra small craft bays over a standard Magellan). Unlike the standard Magellan, the MkII also features a grav deck. The MkII's exact configuration remains unknown, however.
Named Vessels
(See Category:Individual Magellan-class JumpShips)
Gallery
Original Magellan from TRO:3057
Image of supposed Magellan MkII from MechWarrior: Technology of Destruction
References
- ↑ AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 270
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Technical Readout: 3057, pp. 100-101 - "JumpShips - Magellan"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, pp. 98-99 - "JumpShips - Magellan"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Explorer Corps, p. 17 "The Modern Corps - Vessels and Equipment - JumpShips and DropShips"
- ↑ Technology of Destruction, p. 31
- ↑ Via this thread in the official "Ask the Writers" section on the BattleTech Forum by Ray "Adrian Gideon" Arrastia (Q1: Is "Mageallon" a misspelling for "Magellan"?, A: yes; Q2: Is there a Magellan Mk. II class of JumpShips?, A2: no)