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MEC Satellite Hive (5-Slot Station/Module)

The 'Satellite Hive' is the smallest station produced by the Muthos Engineering Consortium. It is designed to function either as a standalone structure, or - uniquely - as an add-on to another station. The upper docking port can be bolted haphazardly fastened securely to any suitable structure, adding the hangars, docking ports, and internal space of the 'Satellite Hive' to whatever it is attached to.

The 'Satellite Hive' station/module boasts the following features:

-Easy-to-use vertical attachment point
-5 upgrade slots (when standalone)
-Compact cargo hold and production facilities
-Armored internals
-Crew bunks, mess hall, and recreation room
-Three 'Swarm Pod Mk. II' hangar bays
-Docking ports for large tradeships
-A landing pad for small transports
-Two internal frameworks for additional customization
-A claw machine with an assortment of MEC-branded stuffed animals (for morale)

Armament:

-3x size 1 point defense hardpoints

At the end of the landing pad is a small plate with the name and logo of the Muthos Engineering Consortium. Customers are encouraged (though not required) to replace this with their own logos or heraldry.

The (decorative) docked fighter craft are as follows...

One VCS-1 'Atropilosa' cargo shuttle (ready to go on a docking pad).

One VCS-2 'Flavopilosa' passenger shuttle (ready to go on a docking pad).

Three VD-2 'Vechti' cargo drones without any cargo (on a refueling rack above the landing platform, one is powered down).

All of these designs and more can be found in the MEC signature catalogue.

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To use this station as a module, right click the blueprint and select "to clipboard." You can use the alt key to select the root block when you paste it in. The game should easily be able to handle a copy-paste of something this size - I would advise against mirroring it, though.

The standalone version of the 'Satellite Hive' comes with VPD-1 custom turrets. Notably, these do not carry over if you are using it as a module for another station - you'll need to replace the turrets manually or use your own.

This is perhaps the most on-brand thing I've ever built for the MEC, as you use it exactly like a wasp nest - just stick it somewhere on the side of an inhabited structure. Its design is loosely based on the nests of the aerial yellowjacket. All in all, I think it turned out weirdly cute, especially when it has things docked. Even an 8-slot ship easily dwarfs it.

The station that the 'Satellite Hive' is attached to in one of the screenshots is a SivCorp basic farm.

Docked ships in other screenshots are a MEC 'Arenaria' corvette and a MEC 'Polistes' mining carrier.