Many of the spaceships in science-fiction television shows or movies have little or no relationship to real engineering, and often operate by principles completely separate from known physics (i.e., "warp drive"). They're more "space fantasy" than "science-fiction". Star Wars spaceships generally fit into this catagory. Don't get me wrong - I happen to LOVE a good space opera and Star Wars is one of my all-time favorites! Just check out my Star Wars section and see for yourself.

The models listed below differ from the usual "pop s-f" fodder in that they're "conceptual" or at least "hard s-f" designs. They're intended to be functional and are based on actual propulsion technologies that are either being developed or are foreseeable. In many ways this makes them more exciting than escapist fantasy designs that are only meant to "look kewl". Conceptual models are my favorite kind of spacecraft models because they give a glimpse of what might actually be achievable someday.

• NEW! Waverider Shuttle
• Large Rotating Space Station
• Lunar Soyuz
• NEW! Aerobraking Spacecraft
• NEW! Nuclear-Thermal (Fission) Drives
• NEW! Nuclear-Electric (Ion) Drive Spacecraft
• Gaseous-Fission (a.k.a. "Nuclear Light Bulb") Drives
• Mass Driver Transport
• Plasma Sail Vessel
• NEW! Nuclear-powered Plasma Sail Spacecraft
• Large Fusion Pulse Drive Vessel
• Fusion Torch USVs
• Homebuilt "Homesteader's Spacecraft"
• Buying and Operating Used USVs

USEFUL RESOURCES FOR TRANSHUMAN SPACE AND OTHER "HARD SF" SETTINGS:

• The High Frontier - Describes Dr. Gerard O'Neill's vision for space colonies.
• Space Settlement - Space colony images and useful links.
• Starships, Space Colonies and the like - Space colonies, space ships, design and technology for living in space, space travel, artificial gravity etc.
• SpaceRef - Future Technology - Includes factual info on propulsion systems used in TS.
• The Interplanetary Commerce - Serious speculation on commerce in space.
• Henry's Future Pages - An examination of nanotechnology, cryonics, transhumanism, artifical intelligence, life extension and space habitats by Dutch Transhumanist Henry Kluytman.
• Nanotechnology - Provides a brief introduction to the core concepts of molecular nanotechnology, followed by links to further reading.
• Hard Sci-Fi Stories - Hard science fiction by Mike Combs. Good fodder for TS campaigns!
• Image Imagine - What does a Transhuman LOOK like? Maybe some of the striking images on this site will give you an idea of the possibilities of genetic engineering in 2100.
• Nemtos' Lair - More art with a Transhuman Space flavor.
• The Exodus Project - Another "hard s-f" setting dealing with interplanetary conflict in 2063 A.D.

TRANSHUMAN SPACE FAN PAGES:

• Aaron's Transhuman Space Page
• DM's Transhuman Space
• Dr. Evil Ganymede's Transhuman Space
• TzeentchNet: Transhuman Space
• Transhuman Spacecraft
• David Pulver's Home Page

Be sure to check out Win Barker's Transhuman Space - Ship Design Page for detailed renderings of GURPS: TS spacecraft.