(RP) Starship Standard Modular Systems

This series will focus on the highly modular, flexible, inter-changeable dynamic systems capability that has been employed on Aquarian ship designs since the founding of the TSRC in the early 22nd Century.

History

During the Terran Space Research Corporation's increase influence, especially in the fields of advanced starship designs, including subsystems, it became increasingly clear that a standardised modular layout was required in order to channel innovation towards a common, unified technological branch. In contrast, with the fledgling Unified Terran Nations developing technology at a rapid pace, and starship designs becoming increasinly more complex; innovation began to slow down as shipbuilders struggled to maintain compatibility between various designs.

The TSRC proposed the Standard Module Systems (SMS) platform, which was officially adopted by the UTN during the early years of the first Expansion Era, in the 24th century. The platform specified a unified "interconnect" for various ship-board subsystems such as sensors and shield modulators, allowing ship builders to incorporate upgradable 'future proof' components within their designs.

Some thousands of years later, the SMS is still the standard for Aquarian ship designs, including those designed and created by the Aquarian Imperial Navy.

Interconnect

Modern starships are incredibly complex composite arrays of interconnected and networked subsystems in both a physical and data-space capacity. The TSRC 'Biomatrix' was the first innovation that allowed a ship-board computer to seemlessly interface with myriad subsystems; exploiting the neural-processing capability of synthetic-organic processor 'brains'; this was fundamental in allowing a unified interconnect to be developed.

The physical interconnect can vary significantly between starship designs; the SMS acts, essentially, as a series of guidelines that the connection must adhere to. The result allows dynamic purpose-oriented designs to be conceived that still maintain core compatibility with SMS Modules.

Modules

At the core of the SMS platform is the 'module'. This is essentially a self-contained (or composite array of multiple) system platform that physically incorporates the core hardware of the designated system. For example, a Shielding Module would consist of the necessary hardware such as a CTM Modulator and Field Emitter, while also incorporating ancillary hardware such as localised capacitor arrays that are purpose-optimised for this role (i.e, extremely high discharge).

Systems often require external parts to function correctly: CTM Modulators required Field Regulators to be positioned at fixed points around the vessel to be shielded, and a Sensors Module requires connection to external masts carrying the necessary arrays for MLADAR/PARALAX sensing technology, for example. Starships incorporate their own external modules, but the SMS platform remains as the 'core' of the system, facilitating its interface with the rest of the vessel's biomatrix network.

Specification

As a modular platform, the SMS lays out strict guidelines for specific modules, such as power and space requirements (for physical installation) and must also adhere to the vessel's mass budget as required. These guidelines would forbid modules from being connected to vessels that do not meet the minimum requirement to operate them within their specification. For example, a ship that lacks the power distribution capacity, despite having ample internal space and mass budget.

Legacy

Despite being developed by the enigmatic TSRC thousands of years ago, the SMS platform remains the standard throughout Aquarius, with no major changes to the standard being made in such time, even by the incumbent Imperial States.