Experimental Escape Pod and Hatch

The original plan for FRG Thor included plans for an Officer's Escape Pod (all crew on this automated vessel are designated officers) located at the aft dorsal section of the ship, just behind the Obs Deck, shielded by a mirrored set of blast barriers and covered by an armored escape hatch that would detonate free in the event of escape-pod launch.

It was ambitious and new, but Thor's design and build went ahead anyway, knowing that it could be altered if for some reason it was unable to be achieved.

With the completion of the Obs Deck, Bridge, and internal areas around the area that the Escape Pod would be located, it was now time to build the Pod as well as the Escape Pod bay, and that meant tackling the hairy prospect of a seperate detonating escape pod hatch.

Between the Blast Barriers set just back from the Obs Deck the Escape Pod Hatchway and Pod Bay was created.

The internals of the Pod Bay don't need to be armoured and so are quite raw, in a similar style to CRV Alannis.

Once the Pod Bay was created (which had been done similarly to the Escape Pod Bay of CRV Alannis), it was time to see if I would be able to successfully attach a hatch to the hatchway and pod while it was docked during standard operations.

Proof of concept was a success!  A hatch could be successfully docked to a docked escape pod.

The underside of the hatch, docked to the Mock Pod to gauge depth requirement of Pod.

The mock pod docked to the base of the Escape Pod Bay.

Now that I knew it was possible, it was time to build the escape pod.  Rather than build it within the confines of the Escape Pod Bay within FRG Thor, I decided to manufacture the Pod on a small addition off to the side of the shipyard, to the stern of Thor. Once completed the Pod and Hatch would be manuevered into position, however manufacturing it in space rather than in the bay meant greater visibility and access.

Escape Pod and Hatch was manufactured in a new small additional wing to the shipyard.

The Escape Pod was a basic design, fully armoured, fit with highly maneuverable engines, and a radar jammer to assist escape.  The Hatch was the original design cut and moved from the top of Thor and fit with the necessary docking systems.

The interior of the Escape Pod is cramped but functions perfectly to rescue all six crew members.

The Escape Pod fits 6 people with the possibility of a further three under extreme conditions.  1 to enter the Core and pilot it, four seated on the red seats, and 1 to 3 standing on the Core between the seated passengers.  The interior of the single-layer armour was fitted with as many shields as possible in the cramped space, giving the Escape Pod the greatest possible chance for escape during a battle scenerio.  The exact specifications of the shielding are kept as a closely guarded secret to help any passengers survive an attack.

The entrance to the pod was closed behind a new armoured Blast Door manufactured specifically for the Pod.

Now that the Pod was completed, it was time to manuever the Pod into the Pod Bay, ready for active duty.

Escape Pod and Hatch are maneuvered into position above the Pod Bay, ready for insertion.

Hatch is detached and Pod is inserted into the Pod Bay.

Pod in final operational position, with Hatch removed.

Once the Pod was inserted, docked, and wired into Thor's systems, it was time to cover her with the armoured Hatch that would protect the Pod during combat operations.

Hatch has final additions fitted to it so it covers the Pod Bay securely.

View from within Pod Bay as Hatch is maneuvered into position.

Hatch being moved into final position as seen from the shipyard.

Hatch fitted successfully, with Pod secured and wired in.

The internal view of the Escape Pod Bay, showing the Hatch in place and the Blast Doors open on the Pod ready to receive passengers.  The fore-side panels of the Escape Pod Bay still need to be fitted and aligned to the escape passages as they are built.

So the overall build was a success.  An experimental design that I did not know would succeed in fact succeeded.  I was pleased that my efforts had not been in vain, and set about finalising the escape passageways leading from the Bridge and the rest of the frigate's internals.