Encyclopaedia of the Galactic Echo

  Classic Spaceships

  With public spaceships now having been in production for nearly half a century, some ships produced by manufacturers have become sought after 'classics', the most significant as follows.

  2274-80 Sunstar Type C

  With its huge engine producing 5,000 THz, the Type C remains to this day the most powerful ship ever offered for sale to the public. With a purchase price of Cr 5 million, it was only ever available to a small number of people who wanted to experience what a spaceship would feel like which put performance and speed above all other considerations. It was in essence a Formula X racing machine, detuned with the minimum of modifications to make it legal for the public to use. Each one was hand built in the same workshops as the Formula X works team. When it set the record for a public ship of 1.2 million mph, its place in the history books was guaranteed. A good Type C will cost around Cr 2m, with low mileage examples worth many times that.

  2290 Britus

  With Britus achieving tremendous success on the Formula X racing circuit, for 2290 they concentrated on making a spaceship that was as close to a racer as it was possible to be while being legal to use for the public highway. It was built along the same lines as the Sunstar Type C, the main difference being that it had a nuclear power engine, whereas the Type C used solar power. Like the Sunstar, the machine was very raw and loud. Britus made just ten examples, thereby making the ship very rare. Examples hardly ever make the open market, as ships tend to swap ownership with deals made in private.

  2250-65 Galaxis Solar Explorer

  The first ever ship offered to the public. Produced for fifteen years and continuously improved during this time, the Solar Explorer remains a popular spaceship even today, with many owners using them daily. Despite its age, the ship offers good service to users. The early examples of this ship command huge prices, especially those with early chassis numbers.

 

  2275-85 Gilbern Eclipse

  Today, Gilbern is the choice transport for many important individuals, including politicians and industry captains. The first ever model from them started production in 2275 and was produced for ten years. Popular with business travelers wanting a spaceship that put luxury and refinement above any consideration of cost. The Eclipse was sold mainly as a 'rolling chassis' as owners tended to customize the interiors so as a result no ship is the same as another. The entire ship was hand built and beautifully finished, which accounted for its huge cost. For many people, owning a Gilbern is a dream, but due to very strong second hand residual values, is likely to remain a dream. New they cost Cr 500,000, a good used Eclipse is worth around Cr 400,000 - and with servicing costs added in, the adage of 'if you can afford to buy two Gilberns you can afford to run one' rings very true.

  Preparing for Long Distance Space Journeys