Tackle the biggest jobs in the farthest reaches of the galaxy with RSI’s flagship deep-space mining rig. Large-scale operations that would traditionally require a vast multi-ship fleet, managing troublesome freelancers, and dealing with government intervention can now be easily handled by a small crew and one ship, providing the crew is skilled and the ship is an Arrastra.
After the concept reveal at this year's Intergalactic Aerospace Expo, we polled the community for their burning questions about the Arrastra. Here are the answers directly from the Vehicle Team:
How do the Arrastra's refining capabilities compare to ships like the Expanse, Orion, and Galaxy?
The Arrastra has two ‘reactors’ that allow it to run two separate orders concurrently. These reactors are much larger than the six found on the Expanse, allowing each order to contain a much higher quantity of goods. While the numbers for player-controlled refining are still being worked out and we don’t want to give specifics, expect each reactor to be able to refine around the same amount an Expanse can in one go. Compared to the Galaxy’s refining module, these reactors are about the same capacity. Naturally, compared to the Orion’s, they are significantly smaller.
Is the Arrastra able to refine Quantanium? If so, is it able to create its own fuel and use it?
It can refine Quantanium as a resource but has no way to feed it back into its fuel tanks. So, Quantanium is purely generated as a commodity to sell.
How do the Arrastra’s mining capabilities compare to ships like the Prospector, MOLE, and Orion?
It sits between the MOLE and Orion, with larger lasers capable of cracking harder rocks at greater distances than the MOLE.
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Are the mining lasers on the Arrastra bespoke? What are the benefits of a Size 3 mining laser?
They are not bespoke and will have upgrade paths like other mining lasers in the game. Sizing wise, they simply provide greater range and energy output by default.
Will it be possible to take material from ore bags onto this ship to refine it, such as the ones on the Prospector?
Yes, the Arrastra has two ports on it capable of taking ore bags from a Prospector or MOLE and refining them.
Are any of the mining lasers able to be controlled by the pilot?
No, they are all controlled via other dedicated stations.
Does this ship have a VTOL mode for planetary mining?
Yes, there are dedicated VTOLs built into the ship to allow it to hover above the surface of planets.
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Does the ship have a dedicated vehicle bay, or is the internal 64-SCU cargo bay used for this purpose? What’s the largest vehicle that will be able to fit?
The vehicle bay is in the center of the cargo area, however, the two co-exist with cargo grids being available at the edges of the room. The central space is designed to hold two ROC-DSs or two Ursa-rover-sized vehicles.
Does the external ore storage use standard SCU containers, unrefined ore bags, or something new?
They use standardized SCU containers to allow for a huge amount of interoperability with other vehicles in the universe. For example, when offloading and transporting cargo.
Which seats can control the missiles on the Arrastra?
The pilot seat has control over the missiles.
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Are there any other entry points to the Arrastra aside from the rear ramp?
There is a large docking collar on the side of the ship as well as a central crew elevator that goes to the ground.
What amenities are aboard the Arrastra (crew quarters, storage, weapon armor racks, medical, etc.)?
The Arrastra has a shared bunk area for the crew and a separate shared habitation area for them to relax and prepare food. There are no dedicated medical rooms aboard. There are integrated weapon and suit storage facilities but no dedicated armory.
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