Shuttle Bay Complex

Shuttle Bay Complex: the largest single compartment aboard the ship, this area is situated below the sloping dorsal shoulders of the upper superstructure, communicating to space via a large hatch in the dorsal spine of the vessel rather than a conventional aft aperture, and breakaway emergency evacuation panels in the ceiling. The auxiliary craft shown in these plans are dynamic graphical assets allowing for the staging of a wide variety of scenarios.

Deck 1
Flight Control: all shuttle flight, cargo handling and intraship traffic are overseen by this control center. Providing a panoramic view of the entire main compartment, this also serves as the primary observation area for deck operations.

Flight Management Office and Departure Lounges: The FMO is situated directly off the Deck 1 Axial Corridor and serves crew for arranging shuttle use or passenger booking on scheduled flights. The adjacent lounges serve as safe waiting areas, likewise for informal observation of deck operations, and communicate directly to the main floor via dedicated stairwells.

Pad Control: due to the placement of the Shuttle Bay hatch on the dorsal spine of the ship, craft are raised and recovered via a elevator pad. This is overseen and operated from either of a pair small control booths that overlook the pad compartment from Deck 1. These booths connect to a small observation room with a gangway ladder to the main floor, allowing for direct observation of, and access to, craft transiting into the primary Shuttle Bay compartment.

Work Bee Docks: the ship carries eight, single seat, short-range service pods which are kept docked in two banks above the Shuttle Bay floor when not in active use. Access to the Work Bees is via a corridor that shares Turbolift access with Pad Control, as well as direct ladder access to the main operations floor.

Deck 2
Shuttle Pad: due to the placement of the Shuttle Bay hatch on the dorsal spine of the ship, craft are raised and recovered via this elevator pad in its own dedicated compartment aft of the main operations floor. A small aft staging area sits adjacent to expedite shuttle operations. Normally air-sealed via forcefields, the pad chamber also functions as a large physical airlock and can be isolated from the primary Shuttle Bay compartment via a large hatch.

Shuttle and Cargo Support: the main operations floor of the Shuttle Bay not only serves as the primary staging area for auxiliary craft, but is also outfitted to engage in a variety of support functions, featuring overhead tractor beam emitters to move craft or cargo around the complex, large elevators to convey the same to or from the holds or service hanger below the main floor, and a pair of freight transporters for beaming bulky items both in the vicinity of the ship and within its volume.