Inside the Tempest Ice Runner: what the spec sheet doesn't tell you

A spec sheet says the Tempest Ice Runner is 410 m long and carries 38,000 tonnes, but that is only part of the picture. What matters is how this Outer-system ice transport behaves on a real mission.

With 3 flight crew at the controls and 8 people aboard, workloads are spread so nobody flies a double shift. The autopilot handles cruise, and the helmsmen take over for docking and hazards.

The Water-derived hydrogen (nuclear thermal) drive delivers 380 km/s at full thrust. At an economical cruise it uses about 7.6 tonnes per 100 AU, which is how the ship reaches 160 AU on one load of fuel.

It has been flying since August 2183, and the Tempest Ice Runner starts at ₡520 million. Ask us for the full engineering dossier.