Sun, Feb 21, 2021 at 6:16 AM
David,
Here are two renders of the progress so far.
I've added in the enlarged engines on the rear. Should be sufficient to get this thing to the jump point.
You will also see that the large locking tower has been added. This is shaped as splined cone. The tower mates with a matching hole in the cargo container(s). The wedge-shaped splines front and rear serve to align the Box Hauler so that its thrust is in line with the longest dimension of the cargo container. This also guarantees that cargo haulers on opposite sides of a container have their thrusters working exactly in parallel.
In practice the captain of the hauler will use the ship's thrusters to bring the wedge shaped tower up into the mating hole in the cargo container at which point those sets of tapered pins extend into matching holes to lock the hauler and container tightly (and without play) to one another.
The hauler still needs its manoeuvring thrusters and other bits, but I've got a few things to do for the wife around the house. Domestic tranquillity takes precedence over the conquest of space, don't you know. 😛
Cheers,
- Ignatz