A Javelin class Am-capable high speed cargo transport, the Daedalus is the property of ex-Templar Captain John West. The workhorse of a shady courier service run out of the Australian outback in a nearby pocket universe, the Daedalus is frequently far from Earth, and often under the command of John’s executive officer and co-pilot, Naomi.
Designed to haul moderate amounts of cargo incredibly long distances at incredibly high speeds, the Javelin class is equipped with the most efficient engines and non-organic power plant designed to date. The ship generates artificial gravity by acceleration, and can sustain a 0.5g burn for upwards of six hours. The type is incredibly nimble in a vacuum, though maneuverability in atmosphere is extremely limited. While the advanced RCS system provides a degree of ground effect and the capability to turn on a dime at extremely low speeds, the ship has an atmospheric turning radius of hundreds of kilometers at any significant speed – a maneuverability that decreases exponentially on approach to escape velocity.
The Daedalus can achieve and sustain escape velocity with a crew of six and a cargo the approximate size and mass of an Abrams main battle tank. The ship is very lightly armored and is equipped with two aft-facing torpedo tubes and two forward-facing projectile cannon for defense.
Crew positions : Pilot/navigator, co-pilot/navigator, flight engineer/weapons officer, communications/electronics officer, two cargo handlers. All crew are seated on the bridge during atmospheric entry/exit.
Terran equivalents: Less capacity than a C5 Galaxy though roughly the same size. Bigger than a C-17. Faster than a Sr-71 and handles like a brick in atmosphere.
Development Notes: The Daedalus is based on the IX-529 Sea Shadow. The hull was designed by dmh. The original 3d model and UVW coordinates were created by Chris Bodine; dmh refined the model to accommodate rotating engine nacelles for Transitional Voices. The design is intentionally minimal, and initially debuted without textures. The idea was to start with a shape that could be reproduced by hand if needed. This consideration heavily influences the design of early CG vehicles, the rest of which were drawn in their early appearances.
