Discussions Starship: The ithullian ore hauler

The ithullian ore hauler is a kilometer-long freighter whose hull is made from the exoskeleton of a dead giant space wasp.

I liked the concept, and tried to find the stats. I found two versions: This one and another here.

However, I found both versions quite unbelievable. The first one can carry only 500 metric tons of mineral, and the second one 5,000 metric tons. That is too little for kilometer-long 200,000 credits space transport.

The Loronar Medium Transport can carry 17,000 metric tons, and it costs 320,000 credits.
The Gallofree Medium Transport can carry 19,000 metric tons, and it costs 350,000 credits.
The Space Master Medium Transport can carry 19,000 metric tons, and it costs 550,000 credits.

All those are better than the Ithullian Ore Hauler in every way, and offer better weight-per-credit return. And those are their factory prices, you can get them way cheaper in the used market.

And from a technical point of view, the engines alone of the Ithullian Ore Hauler are bigger than any of those starships, how come it is slower while carrying a lighter load?

And about the load, 5,000 metric tons means 1,852 cubic meters of aluminium, or 635 cubic meters or iron, or 369 cubic meters of mercury. Even for alluminium, that means a cube 12,28 meters tall. And you are using a kilometer-long starship to carry that around. The cargo's weight is irrelevant compared to the gigantic hull's excessive weight. You are paying to carry around that hull, not the cargo.

Why would anybody bother building an Ithullian Ore Hauler, if it offers such a poor perfomance as a freighter?

So, do you know of a better version of this starship?

Thank you.

 

No-one would, in the present. But four thousand years ago, all the competitors you mentioned didn't exist, so it was competitive. Then.

 

I guess a modern ithullian ore hauler would be very different, then. Something with stats similar to a Super Transport XL or a MOD-17 container freighter.

 

Looks like you want something more along the lines of EUC. I'll redirect you.