Subscribe to download
SE Community Contest Entry - Virgil 2

The drive core was supposed to go to the stars. Now it's going to save this planet.

ILaM aerospace was developing the next version of the Dolphin, when the crisis with the core happened. We gutted our prototype to make this happen and stuck a big drill and bomb bay on the end of the Cetus II engineering systems core.

Virgil 2 (after the first Virgil, the planetary dive vehicle using the Brazzleton configuration) is a vertical drill platform which uses the power off of the main reactor to drive a (mostly) self-repairing excavation body and carry the payload to the target. This vehicle allows a bomb to be delivered either by a light drop onto a small destination platform, setting a timer and escaping, or by drilling down, ascending to minimum safe distance, arming the warheads, and using the impact fuze to detonate.

Crew of 4 needed to operate:
-Pilot: Maintains ship orientation and proper ascent/descent speed. (Keep it slow and steady, remember, you've got a planet depending on you getting there and back alive!) Also handles emergency maneuvers.
-Drillmaster: Runs the drilling heads required for descent and ascent. Responsible for keeping the path clear going up as well as making sure the ship can go down.
-Bombardier: Manages the ordinance and the bomb bay operations. First one to know if auto-repair systems are failing.
-Engineer: Monitors ship systems and handles any repairs that may arise outside of the ship's auto-repair systems.

The ship carries a set of tools for each crew member, supplies, and materials for repairs and construction should the need arise. Each station has relevant checklists and instructions.

Ship is over the starting pit, bomb is loaded, front doors open for crew to enter.