Archive / Systems

Space Plate

Type: Systems — Construction Material / Tech Reference Author: Perry Jones Published: Oct 30, 2023 Source: Medium Status: Canon (published)

Overview

Space Plate is the standard construction material used throughout Maf for spacecraft hulls and space structures. It is a bonded composite: a solid outer metal plate welded to a flexible honeycomb ceramic layer, giving both structural strength and cushioning/flexibility.

Specifications

  • Standard plate size: 1m wide × 4m long, 4cm solid metal thickness + 4cm honeycomb ceramic backing
  • Available thicknesses: 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20 cm
  • 2–5 cm: small civilian craft/structures
  • 7–12 cm: larger civilian vessels and structures
  • 15–20 cm (four largest): military starships
  • Custom/non-standard thicknesses available at +10% cost
  • Width: standard 1m, but customizable up to 5m+ with no extra charge
  • Bonded name: the combined solid+honeycomb material is called "Bonded Space Plate"
  • Non-bonded (solid-only) Space Plate can be ordered, but is strongly discouraged by civil authorities for habitable structures; many shipyards and construction firms refuse to build without the bonded version

Construction Method

  • Two layers of Bonded Space Plate are typically used per hull section: outer layer solid-side out (shields against space), inner layer solid-side in (interior finish — welded to bulkheads, painted, etc.)
  • A gap between the two layers (a few cm up to 1–2m) houses piping, ductwork, and — in wider gaps — fuel tanks, water storage/purification, gas storage, airlocks, and other critical systems

Material Composition

  • Made primarily from trititanium: an alloy of 12% titanium plus other metals/compounds
  • Over 22x the strength/hardness of base titanium
  • About 1/3 the weight of standard titanium
  • Costs only ~30% of standard titanium — multiple competing producers, prices closely aligned across the market

Open Questions / Notes for Future Material

  • No specific manufacturer names given yet — may connect to later economic/ corporate lore (worth checking economy-related ChatGPT threads)
  • Directly connects to the "Space Plate Specifications & Customization" and "Plate mass estimator" threads seen in the ChatGPT export — those likely contain calculation tools/formulas (mass, cost) built on top of this spec and should be cross-referenced when that material is processed