Ever since I did my first carrier-based Science Ship I fell in love with the idea. The ship itself isn’t necessarily any more survivable, but the turning of it into a large carrier makes it more survivable in an operational sense. You can always have a stealth scout to send further ahead into an unexplored jump point, and it is also armed with thermal and geo exploration missiles for when you want to send something expendable ahead of the main Carrier Science Ship. I added a deep Magazine pool so that it is capable of laying extensive scout buoy networks, and it has engineering spaces and fuel to spend years exploring.
von Braun class Science Ship 100,000 tons 2,327 Crew 15,162.3 BP TCS 2,000 TH 19,200 EM 0
9600 km/s Armour 1-191 Shields 0-0 HTK 506 Sensors 168/160/0/0 DCR 252-25 PPV 1.8
Maint Life 3.06 Years MSP 23,880 AFR 317% IFR 4.4% 1YR 3,824 5YR 57,363 Max Repair 2,880 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 36,000 tons Magazine 202 / 0
Captain Control Rating 5 BRG AUX ENG SCI FLG
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months Flight Crew Berths 720 CDE 75% Morale Check Required
ENG G5-N-S20k-P9.6k/60-PH0.009 "Pusher" (2) Power 19200 Fuel Use 0.88% Signature 9600 Exp 6%
Fuel Capacity 3,008,000 Litres Range 614 billion km (740 days at full power)
MSL G1-S90-MS6-ROF370/0.3 (1) Missile Size: 6 ROF 370
MFC G1-S25-R1000-RNG95 (1) Range 94.9m km RES 20 ECCM-1
Belovia Geo-Exploration Probe (6) Speed 31,500 km/s Range 5,138.2m km WH 0 Size 6 TH: 3,150 / 6,300 / 12,600
BOY G1-S6-ASS1k (18) Speed 0 km/s Range 0m km WH 0 Size 5.998 TH: 0 / 0 / 0
BOY G1-S6-PST18.6k (8) Speed 0 km/s Range 0m km WH 0 Size 5.9925 TH: 0 / 0 / 0
Thermal-Exploration Probe (1) Speed 31,500 km/s Range 5,138.2m km WH 0 Size 6 TH: 3,150 / 6,300 / 12,600
ASS G4-N-S500-R1k/212.2m-SM320 (1) GPS 12000 Range 212.2m km RES 20
ASS G4-N-S400-R10k/408.9m-SM320 (1) GPS 96000 Range 408.9m km RES 200
ASS G4-N-S400-R50/69.9m/6.293m-SM320 (1) GPS 480 Range 69.9m km MCR 6.3m km RES 1
PST G4-N-350-R102 (1) Sensitivity 168 Detect 1000: 102.5m km
PSEM G4-N-250-R100 (1) Sensitivity 160 Detect 1000: 100m km
ELINT Module (1) Sensitivity 14 Detect 1000: 29.6m km
Missile to hit values are target speeds in km/s for 100% / 50% / 25% chance to hit
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Carrier for auto-assignment purposes
The best part about it is that the expensive sensors are maintained within the individual Geo & Grav survey craft I put inside the carrier, thus making it’s operation both cheaper and more durable in a maintenance sense. The second best part is that this is just a long endurance carrier too. In times of conflict or when I’m planning a military operation I can recall these carriers back, take out the survey craft, and outfit it like a slow but high endurance carrier. 36k hangar space allows it to operate three Corvettes in the vanguard plus some specialized craft. I love these ships, and the concept of recalling Science and Exploration vessels in time of military crisis is just cool to me. I also designed a whole 25kt Military Tug to speed up these ships and for logistics in general. Looking forward to see if I can tune out a von Braun into a (bad) Fleet Carrier in times of need.
I think that the modularity that hangars give you allow you to better equip your survey ships, do you know that you’re being harassed by X spoiler? Prepare squadrons to deal with that. Do you know that you’re sending it to explore safe space? You can prepare it for that too with some micro. Give carrier survey ships a try some day, you might fall in love with them like I did.