Spacecraft

Spacecraft, more commonly referred to as ships, are vehicles designed for traversal of the hard vacuum and vast distances of space. All spacefaring vessels, regardless of size and function, must have three basic attributes: a pressurized hull containing a life supporting internal atmosphere; protective muon shielding against debris and radiation; and antigraviton propulsion engines and thrusters for maneuvering.

While short range vessels, such as in-system tugboats and ferries, seldom need more than these base systems, deep-space going vessels also require a ripple drive for interstellar travel, and any craft larger than a single-seat fighter needs artificial gravity systems in place to combat the disorientating and debilitating effects of prolonged periods of microgravity on the body.

Deep-space ships are typically categorized based on size (or rather mass tonnage) and using the standard nomenclature adopted by the Imperial Navy of Gaia, which is in turn adopted from pre-imperial Earth wet-navy terminology. From smallest to largest, the most common ship types are listed below:
 * Corvette
 * Frigate
 * Destroyer
 * Cruiser
 * Battlecruiser (or battleship)
 * Dreadnought