Darwin-class Bio-Survey Starship

This SM+8 vessel is just small enough to be operated by a private company, rather than a government or interstellar megacorporation. It carries laboratories for on-site research, and has habitats for live samples--be they plants, animals, or utterly alien creatures. The hangar bay holds ground vehicles or other small craft, but can be used as a massive containment room.
== Name ==
The naming convention of the Darwin is not given, but is likely to be based on evolutionary biologists, nature preserves, or major biomes. 
== Features ==
* Metallic laminate armor (dDR 7)
* Hangar bays, 30 tons, x4 -- 120 tons total
* Cabins, x6
* Habitats (for specimens), x2 -- 12 cells total
* Laboratories, x2
* Two-bed sickbay
* Tertiary Battery (one 10MJ improved laser turret)
** 43.5 tons steerage cargo
* Engine Room
* Fusion Torch Engine (1.5 G)
* Stardrive Engines, x2 (FTL 2 total)
* Fusion Reactor
* 0.1 G Spin Gravity (could be refitted with artificial gravity)
== Crew ==
The crew of the Darwin is relatively compact, with four control crew, one medic, four scientists, one engine room technician, and one turret gunner.
Occ 	# 		
Control Crew 	4 		
Medic 	1 		
Scientists 	4 		
Engine Room Tech	1 		
Gunner 	1 		
TOTAL 	11		
=== Implied Features ===
* The Darwin technically has room for 12 passengers, but the cells aboard this ship are meant for animals, and may have a strangely verdant, "natural" theme with minimal furniture and simulated day cycles. 
* Most crewmembers share a cabin with one another, except for the medic/ship's doctor, whom would likely have a dedicated cabin adjacent to the sickbay.
* The Darwin has relatively little delta-V, fuel-wise, and is likely to rely heavily on FTL jumps from close orbit to close orbit.
* The hangar bay can be flooded to contain a large, aquatic creature, such as a whale or leviathan serp, but will need some jury-rigging for feeding and interaction needs.
* This vessel can exert 1.5Gs of thrust, which is enough to take off on all but the most massive terrestrial planets.
** Gas giants however, are far too massive.
** Landing gear is standard on any 1G+ spacecraft.
* About four, single-unit airlocks, as per standard
== See Also ==
* Science and Survey Vessels
== References == 
* Spaceships 5: Exploration and Colony Spacecraft, p.16
Category:Spaceships