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AAM Petrel VTOL Dropship Series [All Vanilla; Rotorless Versions Included]

Petrel Dropship (VTOL SSTO)

Specifications
Manufacturer: Ardentrall Aerospace Manufacturing
Mass: 93,797 kg [Base model]
Powerplant: 42.56 MW [8 Batteries, 16 Small Reactors]
Gyroscopes: 11
Armament: 2 gatling guns
Cargo Capacity: 15,625 liters [Cargo model]
Refinery Facilities: NA
Assembler Facilities: NA
Medical Facilities: NA
Artificial Gravity: NA
Small Craft Complement: NA
Length: 16.5 meters
Width: 18.5 meters
Height: 4 meters

There are many good atmospheric vessels, and many good space ships. However, while a number of craft exist that perform admirably in one environment or the other, there are very few that can do their job in both.

The Petrel is one of the few that can -- a true aerospace vehicle. To achieve this, it features two sets of engines: one of atmospheric turbines, the other of ion thrusters. Each set is capable of maneuvering the craft in their respective environments adequately, but the real benefit they provide is found in the upper reaches of a planet's atmosphere. Above a certain point, the air becomes too thin for turbines to work at full capacity, yet is still too thick for ion engines to provide full power. Neither set would be able to lift the craft out of the gravity well, but together they can.

What this means is that the Petrel can take a load of cargo or passengers from a planet's surface, deliver them to a destination in orbit, then return with another load without replacing booster rockets or replenishing hydrogen tanks. It is a single-stage-to-orbit vessel.

The Petrel gets its power from eight batteries, supplemented by sixteen small reactors. As with the Fulmar, the reactors can either provide additional power, or recharge the batteries. It is worth noting that the Petrel's energy consumption when attaining orbit with a full load of iron ore is light enough that less than 1/10th of a kilgram of uranium is used.

The craft's versatility is not without its drawbacks. While its passenger complement is nearly twice that of the Fulmar at seven, the Petrel's cargo variant can hold only a little more than half the Fulmar's capacity. The Petrel is very useful for small-scale operations, and has proven a breakout success with lone prospectors and explorers on frontier worlds, but is not favored by large-scale industrial organizations, which tend to prefer more economical vehicles. The Petrel is particularly popular, however, with the various Commando branches that serve within the Ardentralli provincial fleets and armies; its ability to operate well in multiple environments makes it useful for fast strikes, dropping from orbit on unsuspecting targets, then withdrawing before retaliation can be mounted.