Internal infrastructure inside hollowed asteroids — large-scale docking bays, parking garages, maintenance yards, and rapid outfitting zones for the growing fleet.
Provide safe, high-capacity internal facilities that allow the base to receive, service, repair, and reconfigure vessels without exposing them to external space hazards. This turns the hollowed asteroid into a true operational hub and shipyard.
These facilities are constructed after the asteroid is hollowed, life support and power are online, and initial automated mining is stable. They become the central “port” for the entire base and the foundation for future shipyard expansion.
Requirement: Hollowed bases shall include large pressurised internal docking bays, parking garages, and rapid outfitting zones sized for the full range of IPLS vessels and hot-swappable via PIS-v1.
Rationale: Transforms the asteroid into a true operational hub and shipyard without exposing assets to external vacuum or radiation hazards.
Open Questions: None at v0.7
Requirement: All internal docking ports shall comply with PIS-v1 universal interface standards, supporting bidirectional power, data, fluid, and mechanical hardpoints for hot-swappable vessel integration.
Rationale: Enables rapid, safe berthing of any IPLS vessel without custom adapters.
Requirement: Internal maintenance yards shall provide overhead cranes, robotic manipulation hardpoints, and hot-swappable module handling fully integrated with Robotics Tiering (3.1.20).
Rationale: Allows rapid in-situ repair and reconfiguration without EVA or external exposure.
Requirement: Dedicated rapid outfitting bays shall support hot-swapping of propulsion, life-support, sensor, and weapon modules while the vessel remains powered and pressurised.
Rationale: Minimises downtime and enables mission-specific reconfiguration in hours rather than weeks.
Requirement: All docking and maintenance facilities shall include material transfer airlocks and automated cargo systems directly integrated with ISRU processing and internal transportation (3.1.8).
Rationale: Enables continuous flow of raw materials, spares, and finished goods between mining fleet, manufacturing, and storage zones.
Requirement: Every docking bay and maintenance zone shall maintain independent pressurisation, leak detection, and modular radiation shielding compatible with UMP-SHIELD-001.
Rationale: Guarantees crew safety and operational continuity even during external events or internal failures.
Requirement: All critical docking, maintenance, and outfitting functions shall expose physical manual overrides and digital operator veto independent of automation.
Rationale: Preserves absolute human/post-biological command authority during high-risk berthing and repair operations.
Requirement: Docking and outfitting facilities shall include pre-planned expansion corridors and structural hardpoints for future bay enlargement as fleet traffic grows.
Rationale: Supports exponential growth of the base without major reconfiguration downtime.