The single core architecture that powers every IPLS vessel, mining rig, orbital factory, station, and infrastructure module — designed for maximum flexibility, full operator control, and zero vendor lock-in.
Provide one highly versatile, standardised core platform that can be rapidly reconfigured for any mission — from small prospector drones to massive asteroid miners, orbital shipyards, lunar bases, or security vessels — without redesigning the entire vehicle each time.
The requirement cards on this page govern. The port rating is unset. Every probe, mining rig, orbital manufacturing platform, support vessel, and habitat module is built around this same universal core. This creates true fleet-wide interoperability, simplifies maintenance, and allows third-party companies to develop specialised bolt-on modules while IPLS retains control of the core architecture.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall expose standardised mechanical hardpoints on all six faces with ISO 668-compatible load ratings, self-aligning connectors, and operator-controlled locking mechanisms. The hardpoint load rating is unset. Hardpoint types, geometry, and hardpoints per face are unset. The ICD is unset. Whether power, data, and fluid pass through the mechanical hardpoint or through separate hardpoints is unset. Lock and release follow the IPLS-5.1-002 chart. Overrides follow UMP-OPERATOR-001. How a lock command is authenticated is unset. N for load paths per hardpoint is unset. Dependence on PGEDS-v1 follows IPLS-3.1.6.1-001.
Rationale: Enables rapid hot-swapping of any module without vendor lock-in or custom engineering.
Open Questions: None at v0.6
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall expose redundant bidirectional power hardpoints (minimum 2 per face) capable of 48–400 VDC with automatic load-sharing and hot-swap capability. The port rating and the per-port ceiling are unset. Whether 10 kW is a per-port floor is unset. Whether each port spans 48 to 400 VDC or offers fixed levels, and how mated ports agree a level, are unset. Feeds per face follow IPLS-3.1.6-006. Hot-swap follows UMP-HOTSWAP-001. Hot-swap on a node feeding life support follows IPLS-3.1.6-003 and IPLS-3.1.5-008. Isolation follows IPLS-3.1.6-006. Dependence on PGEDS-v1 follows IPLS-3.1.6.1-001.
Rationale: Ensures fail-operational power distribution across all modules for multi-century operation.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall expose dual redundant optical + copper data hardpoints supporting 100 Gbps+ with quantum-entanglement-ready fibre ports and operator-controlled authentication. Whether 100 Gbps is a floor for each path is unset. Hardpoints per face are unset. The latency ceiling is unset. Entanglement-ready ports follow IPLS-3.1.12-003. Entanglement is not a link. Authentication follows IPLS-3.1.19-004. Key custody follows IPLS-3.1.12-005. A seized credential is not consent under IPLS-5.1-002. Whether the redundant paths may share a power feed or compartment is unset.
Rationale: Provides deterministic, low-latency command and telemetry while preserving operator sovereignty.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall expose standardised quick-connect fluid/gas ports for propellant, coolant, air, water, and waste transfer with automatic leak detection and operator-controlled isolation valves. Coupling type, size, pressure rating, and media per port are unset. Whether ports are keyed by medium is unset. Life-support modules use UMP-ECLSS-001 ports under IPLS-3.1.5-007. Whether other air, water, and waste transfer uses UMP-FLUID-001 or UMP-ECLSS-001 ports is unset. Automatic isolation acts inside the IPLS-5.1-002 envelope and is logged and reported to the operator. Whether isolation may cut air or water to an occupied compartment is unset. N for isolation valves per port is unset.
Rationale: Enables closed-loop resource sharing across modules and future ISRU integration.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall support hot-swapping of any attached module while the platform remains operational. A swap that supersedes equipment waits for operator consent under IPLS-5.1-002. Whether like-for-like replacement is supersession is unset. Whether a hot-swap that lowers life-support redundancy needs operator consent is unset. Whether swapping a module that holds a mind's state or the moral runtime is an irreversible act is unset. A swap that adds replication capability follows IPLS-3.1.13-002. The swap sequence, the interruption permitted on each hardpoint during a swap, and the pass criterion are unset. Whether a function may drop below its N during a swap is unset.
Rationale: Maximises uptime and allows in-flight reconfiguration without EVA or downtime.
Requirement: UMP core modules shall be available in standardised size classes from small tug-scale to large industrial-scale. The size classes and their dimensions are unset. Whether hardpoints scale with class or are common across classes is unset. Which UMP cards bind each size class is unset. Whether an attached module is itself a UMP core module is unset. The scaling rule and the pass criterion are unset.
Rationale: Allows the same architecture to serve every mission class without redesign.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall be designed for a minimum 200-year service life with graceful degradation and field-repairable components. Life-critical systems remain at the 500-year figure in IPLS-3.1-016. Whether a given UMP element is life-critical is unset. On degradation, life-preserving functions continue inside the IPLS-5.1-002 envelope. Degradation order and the output floor are unset. The accelerated life test basis and pass criterion are unset. Field repair follows UMP-MAINT-001.
Rationale: Meets the multi-century fail-operational requirement of the IPLS philosophy.
Requirement: UMP core modules shall be fully manufacturable by ASI using in-situ resources once orbital factories are online. Whether ASI fabrication of a UMP core module is replication under IPLS-5.1-002 is unset. Activation of manufacturing follows IPLS-3.1.2-001. Feedstock is IPLS-3.1-009 output. The point at which orbital factories count as online is unset. Qualified materials and the qualification pass criterion are unset.
Rationale: Eliminates Earth-to-orbit launch mass dependency for all future expansion.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall incorporate active and passive thermal management interfaces compatible with all attached modules and the central PGEDS-v1. Heat-transfer capacity per interface, the temperature band, and the coupling type are unset. Whether fluid loops couple through UMP-FLUID-001 coolant ports is unset. N for cooling paths is unset. Whether redundant paths may share a pump or power feed is unset. Dependence on PGEDS-v1 follows IPLS-3.1.6.1-001.
Rationale: Maintains thermal stability across the full range of operational environments and power loads.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall provide standardised mounting points and power/data interfaces for modular radiation shielding and micrometeoroid protection panels. Mounting geometry and panel mass per point are unset. Power follows UMP-PWR-001 up to its port rating. Shielding performance follows IPLS-3.1.4-005, where the dose limit is unset. RSS-v1 is an upgrade path. The impact criterion and panel overlap are unset. Whether UMP-SHIELD-001 carries defensive shielding is unset.
Rationale: Allows mission-specific shielding without redesigning the core platform.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall expose a complete operator control layer with physical manual overrides for all critical functions, independent of ASI or automated systems. The interface is undefined. The list of critical functions per module, the override mechanism, and how a physical override is authenticated are unset. The Operator-Control Layer has no defining card. The veto latency ceiling and reliability floor are unset under IPLS-5.1-002. Operator means the IPLS-5.1-002 operator. Command follows the IPLS-5.1-002 chart. An ASI is never an operator. Rights under IPLS-5.1-003 do not include operator authority. Use of a physical override follows IPLS-3.1.4-007 and confers no operator authority. A seized credential is not consent under IPLS-5.1-002. Each override and veto is logged and reported to the operator. Whether a veto can stop a life-preserving action already running is unset. On loss of link, life-preserving functions continue inside the IPLS-5.1-002 envelope. The IPLS-3.1-014 hold applies to other actions. T is unset. Whether the override path is independent of the function it overrides is unset. N for the override path is unset.
Rationale: Keeps command on the IPLS-5.1-002 chart.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall be designed for field repair using only standard tools and ISRU-derived spares, with clear access panels and hot-swappable internal components. The standard tool set is unset. ISRU spares are IPLS-3.1-009 output. Hot-swap follows UMP-HOTSWAP-001. Whether these access ports are the UMP-ROBOTIC-001 maintenance access ports is unset. Diagnostic data follows UMP-DIAG-001. Whether a repair that fabricates a module is replication under IPLS-5.1-002 is unset.
Rationale: Supports multi-century operation far from Earth supply lines.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall provide dedicated mechanical, power, data, thermal, and fluid interfaces for hot-swappable propulsion modules including IPLS-NWM-v1 nacelles. Whether NWM-v1 is a dependency at Lane B is unset under IPLS-3.1.13-003. Mechanical attachment follows UMP-MECH-001. PIS-v1 is an upgrade path. Thrust load at the attachment and the power, data, thermal, and fluid figures per propulsion port are unset. Power follows UMP-PWR-001 up to its port rating. Hot-swap follows UMP-HOTSWAP-001. Whether a propulsion module may be swapped in transit is unset.
Rationale: Enables seamless integration and future upgrade of all propulsion systems under TSP-v1.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall expose standardised sealing and pressurization hardpoints compatible with all attached modules and the base life-support system. Seal geometry, the design pressure differential, and the leak-rate pass figure are unset. The pressure band is unset. Whether pressurisation uses UMP-FLUID-001 ports is unset. Automatic isolation follows IPLS-3.1.5-006. N for seals per interface is unset. Whether a seal is life-critical, and so at the 500-year figure in IPLS-3.1-016, is unset.
Rationale: Ensures pressure integrity across modular assemblies in vacuum or partial-atmosphere environments.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall provide standardised avionics and navigation bus interfaces for attitude control, positioning, and traffic management. The bus definition and timing are unset. Whether the bus is separate from UMP-DATA-001 is unset. N for the avionics bus is unset. Whether redundant buses may share a power feed or compartment is unset. Commands follow the IPLS-5.1-002 chart. On loss of link, life-preserving functions continue inside the IPLS-5.1-002 envelope. The IPLS-3.1-014 hold applies to other actions. T is unset.
Rationale: Enables fleet-wide coordination and precise navigation without vendor-specific hardware.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall expose standardised life-support and ECLSS resource coupling ports for air, water, nutrients, and waste exchange. Life-support modules use UMP-ECLSS-001 ports under IPLS-3.1.5-007. Whether other air, water, and waste transfer uses UMP-FLUID-001 or UMP-ECLSS-001 ports is unset. Port parameters are unset. The form of nutrient exchange is unset. Redundancy follows IPLS-3.1.5-008. Ports per function per module are unset. Automatic isolation follows IPLS-3.1.5-006. Life support is a separate fail-operational path under IPLS-5.1-002. Whether these ports are life-critical, and so at the 500-year figure in IPLS-3.1-016, is unset.
Rationale: Guarantees closed-loop resource sharing across all modules and future expansion.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall provide standardised mechanical, power, data, and thermal mounting interfaces for sensor suites and instrumentation arrays. Mounting geometry and mass per mount are unset. Power follows UMP-PWR-001 up to its port rating. Data follows UMP-DATA-001. Thermal follows UMP-THERMAL-001. N for locks per mount is unset. The interface that delivers sensor data to a mind is unset.
Rationale: Enables mission-specific sensing without redesigning the core platform while maintaining full operator control and interoperability.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall expose standardised emergency egress ports, EVA hardpoints, and rescue coupling interfaces compatible with all IPLS vessels and bases. Egress port size and the rescue coupling definition are unset. Whether an egress port opens without power is unset. N for egress paths per occupied volume is unset. Whether a lock, veto, or automatic isolation may prevent egress from an occupied volume is unset. Overrides follow UMP-OPERATOR-001. The beacon follows IPLS-3.1.12-006 and IPLS-3.1.19-005. PIS-v1 is an upgrade path.
Rationale: Guarantees rapid crew evacuation, EVA operations, and external rescue capability in all failure scenarios.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall provide standardised cargo, payload, and docking attachment hardpoints with automatic load sensing and operator-controlled locking. The load rating and the load-sensing threshold are unset. Locks per port are unset. Whether vessel docking uses this hardpoint or UMP-MECH-001 is unset. Lock and release follow the IPLS-5.1-002 chart. Whether release of a docked crewed vessel is a crew launch under IPLS-5.1-002 is unset. PIS-v1 is an upgrade path.
Rationale: Enables safe, rapid transfer of cargo, modules, and entire vessels across the entire IPLS fleet and infrastructure.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall incorporate a dedicated self-diagnostic, health-monitoring, and telemetry bus with real-time reporting to the central command layer. Reporting goes to the command node on the 3.1.19 network. Whether the bus is physically separate from UMP-DATA-001 is unset. The reporting latency is unset. Whether monitoring data is carried here is unset. N for the bus is unset.
Rationale: Provides continuous system health visibility and predictive maintenance for multi-century reliability.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall implement versioned interface definitions with full backward compatibility and automated upgrade pathways under TSP-v1. Supersession waits for operator consent under IPLS-5.1-002. Whether an upgrade is a supersession is unset. TSP-v1 readiness criteria are undefined. Whether this card or the IPLS-3.1.19-002 window governs UMP hardpoints is unset. What counts as a major version is unset. How a module declares its interface version at mate is unset.
Rationale: Ensures seamless evolution of the platform across centuries without decommissioning legacy assets.
Requirement: Every UMP core module shall provide standardised robotic manipulation hardpoints and maintenance access ports compatible with all robotics tiers (3.1.20). Gripper and tool interface geometry and load are unset. Whether the robotic platform is a UMP core module or mates to this hardpoint is unset. Command follows IPLS-3.1.20-004. Swaps follow UMP-HOTSWAP-001. Repairs follow UMP-MAINT-001. The tier of each robot class is unset under IPLS-3.1.20-002.
Rationale: Enables autonomous and teleoperated maintenance, repair, and reconfiguration by robotic systems.