Sci fi space drop ship concept art

Can be used to create dramatic situations with stranded or adrift characters, or just to get civilians and redshirts out of the way so the main cast can save the day at the last possible moment.

Generally these have only rudimentary engines and no weapons, but will carry some survival supplies or perhaps operate as cryo-tubes. When a larger ship is about to be destroyed the crew will scramble for the escape pods, hoping to reach rescue or at least a Conveniently Close Planet. Although they have no practicality in deep space, they do make sense when ships are involved in operations near shipping lanes, planets, moons or space stations and it helps crew morale if they know they can escape if required. A Pod for a single Mecha would be the size of a small house.Ī lifeboat in space. Of course, the term “small” can be relative. Most can hold one to two people, others can hold about a platoon of personnel. They are carried by larger ships as auxiliaries. Small and specialized modules, pods are not craft in their own right. In some settings, these small craft have the ability to travel and fight within atmospheres whereas larger ships do not (and are restricted to orbit). Furthermore, most don't have FTL, whether because it would be too expensive, a trip would take too long, or the engine would just be too big. Consequently, small craft are almost always attached to a base of some sort or larger spacecraft. These are characterized by having a relatively short endurance unlike a 'real' spaceship, small craft don't independently travel long distances or stay in space for weeks on end.