Horizon Survey Craft
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The stated mission of the developers was to create a 'light scientific and reconnaissance craft' and in this respect the Horizon proved perfectly suited¸ able to take a small crew anywhere within the solar system to take samples from asteroids¸ photograph possible colony landing sites¸ intercept comets and so on.
With so many available it seemed only natural that the sensors aboard the Horizons would inevitably turned towards sensitive Earth Union installations and vehicles. In the same way that some Russian trawlers in the Cold War were actually spy ships¸ Horizons were renowned within the Union military for turning up when least expected¸ and when least wanted...
Horizon Survey Craft details a TL 9 spacecraft powered by a fission reactor and a nuclear thermal rocket. It was designed using the rules in Zozer Games' setting book called Orbital 2100. The Horizon is a small survey craft from the Orbital 2100 universe and NOT related to the much larger and more complex Far Horizon ship featuring in the Far Horizon add on adventure!
Orbital is a science fiction role-playing setting that makes use of the Cepheus Engine and other 2D6 based SF rules - with an overall Tech Level of 9 (but with the notable absence of gravitics¸ jump drive and anything related to psionics). Spacecraft use nuclear thermal rockets¸ fission powerplants and spin capsules in order to simulate on-board gravity. The world of Orbital describes a universe where humans have colonised the solar system but no further; where a Cold War rages and the people of Luna are engaged in a desperate political race against the Earth Union for domination of the solar system. Humanity has spread throughout the solar system¸ discovered life on several worlds¸ and confirmed the existence of intelligent life beyond our own little piece of real estate.