Space station

A space station is an artificial structure designed as a space habitat. A space station is distinguished from other manned spacecraft by its lack of major propulsion or landing facilities - instead, other vehicles are used as transport to and from the station.

Space station types

Command center

Command centers serve administrative, governmental, or bureaucratic functions. They house lots of personnel and usually possess many docks for starships and shuttlecraft. They usually possess good communications systems as well as substantial armament for defensive purposes.

Science station

Science stations provide a base for conducting research or studying anomalies in space. They generally stock lots of scientific equipment and present sparse quarters for the small research staff. Only stations conducting military research or top secret operations demonstrate significant defense capabilities. Regardless of purpose, science stations usually possess good sensor arrays.

Service hub

Service hubs function as central locations for trading goods, servicing starships, routing personnel, and so on. They tend to be large stations lots of space devoted to cargo holds, repair supplies, fueling resources, market stalls, and so on. Those bases serving as transportation hubs generally possess comfortable quarters, as well as lounge and recreation facilities. While service hubs usually feature good communications systems, they are rarely well-defended (although internal security systems may be quite sophisticated).

Spacedock

A space station fully dedicated to starship construction and repair.

Orbital mining

An orbital mining station facilitates mining operations on a planet or planetoid. It may be equipped with a mining laser platform.

Datastation

A datastation is, in essence, a giant orbital computer.

Communications station

A space station relaying long-range communications.

Strategic bases

Strategic bases are located near a system, planet, or astronomical phenomenon some organization or government finds important to its political, military, or economic agenda. Strategic bases usually demonstrate the most specialization of all the base types, being heavily armed and outfitted appropriate to the task at hand. Strategic bases are also usually assigned at least one starship for defense or transportation requirements to their purpose.

Supply stations

Supply stations are essentially service hubs devoted to supply storage and routing. Depending on the type of equipment and resources they stock, they may also serve strategic functions pertaining to military logistics. Supply stations routinely possess numerous docking ports for vessels of all sizes. Only military supply stations possess any significant defensive armament.

Outstations

Main article: Outstation

Outstations dot the frontiers of civilized space and demonstrate nearly complete self-sufficiency. They tend to be large, requiring a great deal of space for housing residents and storing essential resources and supplies. Outstations usually posses multiple docking facilities and are often assigned at least one starship for defensive purposes, inclduing evacuations. Depending on their location and role, outstations may also perform as science stations, service hubs, or strategic bases. They usually maintain good communications and weapons systems.

See also

• Drydock
• Space stations - Listing of individual space stations
• Space station classes - Listing of common station classes
• Space station types - Definitions of various station types