Inside the Sparrow Trainer: what the spec sheet doesn't tell you

A spec sheet says the Sparrow Trainer is 11 m long and carries 0 tonnes, but that is only part of the picture. What matters is how this Pilot training craft behaves on a real mission.

With 1 flight crew at the controls and 2 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 95 km/s at full thrust. At an economical cruise it uses about 22 tonnes per 100 AU, which is how the ship reaches 3 AU on one load of fuel.

It has been flying since June 2186, and the Sparrow Trainer starts at ₡4.1 million. Ask us for the full engineering dossier.