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Spacecraft are vehicles designed for travel beyond planetary surfaces into outer space. Spacecraft vary in design and purpose and only a few are designed for manned space travel. Most are designed for observation and communications while others, like the Mars Rover, are designed for planetary exploration. Spacecraft also refers to artificial satellites in orbit around Earth, other planets or moons.

Design

The makeup of most spacecraft are usually of metallic alloys. Only fictional advanced species from the 4 and 5 tier civilizations are able to use biologically replicated space vessels for intergalactic travel at faster than light speed.

Propulsion

The propulsion systems can very in a number of ways. Some of the systems used are dependant on the area of space a particular species inhabits. Types of propulsion invented by humans so far are Solid Rocket Fuel, Nuclear Propulsion, Nuclear Pulse Detonation, Solar Sail, Warp Drive. Some of the transportation means still waiting to be invented are the Trans-Dimensional Drive, Trans-Warp drive, Subspace Energy Drive, Z-Particle Engine, and others. Although a lot of this technology is available at infant stages today, some of the concepts and designs for such devices originate as far back as the year 1903 AD.

Power

Engine names are usually representative of the type of power consumed in space travel. The exception is Warp and Trans-Warp which would actually require elements not yet known to exist on the periodic table of elements such as dilithium. Which in Star Trek, is a crystalline mineral into which streams of Matter and Anti-Matter are directed in order to generate power.

Fictional Spacecraft

Manned space travel to places other than the Earth's Moon is not currently possible. However, exploration beyond the Solar System by humans is a common science fiction theme. Space travel limitations exist because of the human body's inability to cope with stresses of acceleration and deceleration of long-term manned space vehicles, the effects of weightlessness on the body, particularly the bones, and radiation exposure. In science fiction, many of these are compensated for with devices such as artificial gravity and inertial dampeners.

The vast distances of space travel portrayed in SciFi shows are usually covered in short amounts of time with the use of fictional advanced technology. Sometimes the technology in the SciFi shows are based on real life scientific theories while others are purely make believe. Many SciFi shows simply ignore detailed explanations in order to focus on the stories and characters and not on solving the technical aspects of faster than light space travel. This reduces space travel to a them rather than the topic at hand but nevertheless proves inspiring and thought-provoking for audiences.

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