Since the invention of the space elevator and the FTL drive, spacecraft have been a conglomeration of many different new technologies such as stellar metals, polymers, life support, propulsion, and power generation. Most inhabitants of the Fringe have at least a cheap shuttle-type ship with basic FTL capability and little weaponry, though factions devout to space naval prowess have invested in both bigger ships and bigger guns, from plasma turrets to mass drivers. Most ships typically have solarium reactors or some other means of power generation and particle thrust systems for shorter distances and atmospheric flight for smaller ships. Most ships also have a teleportation pad. All ships are also equipped with artificial gravity systems, and at the very least a gravitic inertial dampener that ensures rapid acceleration does not liquefy crews.
There exist a multitude of spacecraft in use around the galaxy of all shapes and sizes, from single-man dropships and escape pods to massive, roaming fortresses, these naming conventions are the most agreed on means of codifying the sizes of ships into groups. However, the amount of "classes", a term for the specific model of a ship, available are infinite in number and variety. Here they are, from smallest to largest:
And for immobile platforms:
Ships can have a variety of modules depending on their size. Outward modules such as weapons are mounted on 'hardpoints' that can typically be retracted back into the hull, for when the ship enters the atmosphere or is entering civilized space - most territories require ships retract their hardpoints whenever they are in their territory. Some modules, especially on smaller ships, may have a higher power demand than others - for example, using a ship's teleporter typically drains most of a ship's power reserves, as does using a hyperdrive.
Military or even civilian ships are equipped with basic anti-spacecraft weaponry that fit their size class. Much larger than their puny infantry counterparts, smaller ships can utilize plasma or ballistic turrets, laser ordinance, or sometimes even missiles to accomplish their destructive tasks. Larger ships such as those of Frigate class can make use of larger railguns and mass drivers, or turrets and missiles of even larger size. Here are some common ship weapons:
Most military spacecraft are equipped with defenses that allow them to survive a hit, whether it be from a mass driver, shell, or a plasma turret. The amount of defenses a ship can have rises with its size class, and can range from thin hulls to even energy shielding. Most military ship hulls consist of an inner framework constructed of durasteel due to its tensile strength and low cost. The outer layers of metal are typically constituted of ferozium or a mix of durasteel and ferozium to protect from energy attacks, or aegisalt if the ship is a stealth ship. Due to engineering specifications, larger classes of ships can have different thicknesses of hull metals. Smaller ships are also capable of utilizing their power to generate an energy shielding around their hulls to further increase their defense at the cost of an increased power draw and weakness to EMP attacks.
Ships can have a variety of utility components, some required.