Spacecraft design - C4ISTAR in Dark Stars

Overview

C4ISTAR is a British acronym for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance.  It seems every rule set for Traveller takes a different approach to addressing this aspect of spacecraft design.  While classic Traveller basically just dumped it all into (rather oversized) Computers and Bridge, subsequent versions have broken it down into component parts with 18 different variations for each part.

Having spent most of my life in some part or another of the IT industry, classic Traveller's treatment of computers doesn't sit well and hasn't since the mid '80s.   On the other hand, I want to design spacecraft for use in a game, not specify subsystems for prototyping by a DOD subcontractor!  So the later treatments of this topic fall flat for me as well.  The root cause, for me, is that LBB2 was too detailed in this respect... that's right *too* detailed.

In Dark Stars I'm assuming that information technology is distributed throughout the various major systems and subsystems as well as the control areas.  A TL9 spacecraft has better IT than a TL8 spacecraft.  All electronic and computer systems on all spacecraft are automatically radiation hardened and fiber optic backbones for inter system communications is assumed from the get go.  So no need for installing a 'computer'.. zip.. nada.. whew!

There are really only two components necessary in this section, the bridge; which includes various miscellaneous aspects of the spacecraft design such as airlocks, perhaps maintenance access ways, power distribution systems, and C3 links.  Basically LBB2 already took care of this though I do think the minimum bridge size was a bit overboard.

The other component necessary in this section can be simply called avionics.  This component is a collection of the communications, intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and - with the help of drones - reconnaissance.  Yeah that's right - it includes sensors.  It also takes care of mundane aspects like.. avionics!  NOE capable avionics is assumed to be included with any airframe configuration spacecraft.  Avionics should be available in a few 'flavors' - basic, civilian standard, military/survey, long range military, and advanced long range military.  Other sets of names would work and that might be a little too many but it covers what needs covered, and covers it simply, smoothly, and without causing IT professionals to have indigestion.

Components

Bridge

The bridge includes crew stations for the on duty command crew as well as numerous miscellaneous aspects of the spacecraft, from airlocks to redundant C3 networks.  It also includes basic avionics.  Tonnage required is 2% of the spacecraft's wet mass.  Minimum mass is 10 tons.  Cost is MCr 0.005 per ton of spacecraft (wet mass).

Avionics

The avionics section includes sensors and communications equipment along with any necessary specialized computers for navigation and sensor data analysis.

Code	Description	Mass	Cost(MCr)	Mount points
0	Basic	-	-	-
1	Civilian	1.0	2.0	1
2	Military/Survey	5.0	10.0	3
3	LR Military	25.0	50.0	9
4	Adv LR Military	125.0	250.0	27

Note that Basic Avionics is included in the Bridge tonnage and cost.

And... that's all folks... C4ISTAR in Dark Stars.