Inside the Cascade Dropship: what the spec sheet doesn't tell you

A spec sheet says the Cascade Dropship is 72 m long and carries 220 tonnes, but that is only part of the picture. What matters is how this Heavy planetary lander behaves on a real mission.

With 2 flight crew at the controls and 6 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 Methalox (liquid methane / liquid oxygen) drive delivers 140 km/s at full thrust. At an economical cruise it uses about 18 tonnes per 100 AU, which is how the ship reaches 12 AU on one load of fuel.

It has been flying since February 2183, and the Cascade Dropship starts at ₡185 million. Ask us for the full engineering dossier.